) LiBRARY OF CONGRESS. | 



Chap. IM,:ij3:^ 

Shelf.. xS:k 



m^ 



$ UIMSTED STATES OF ^MERiCA. ^ 



1 



: i 



THE 

ORIGINAL 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN, 

BRIEFLY CONSIDERED; 

WHEREIN IS SHOWN 

THE NATURE OF HIS FALL, AND THE NECESSITY, MEANS, ANH 

MANNER OF HIS RESTORATION, THROUGH THE SACRIFICE 

OF CHRIST, AND THE SENSIBLE OPERATION OF THAT 

DIVINE PRINCIPLE OF GRACE AND TRUTH, 

HELD FORTH TO THE WORLD 

BY THE 

PEOPLE CALLED QUAKEKS. 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED, 

SOME REMARKS ON THE DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION, 
THE SCRIPTURES, WORSHIP, AND THE 



^ KINGDOM OF HEAVEN 



JOSEPH PHIPPS. 



f^' ' B^ 



We both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who 
iff the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe. — 1 Tim. iv. 10. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

FOR SALE AT FRIENDS' BOOK STORE, 

No. 304 ARCH STREET. 

1876. 






D 



- ^1^1 






PREFACE, 



In the year 1767, a person, with a view to dis- 
seminate his favourite notions of unconditional 
election and reprobation, having advanced many 
sentiments repugnant to the doctrines of Grace 
and Truth extended for the salvation of mankind 
universally ; and having made an attack upon the 
Society of Friends for holding those Christian prin- 
ciples of the " necessity, universality, and real sen- 
sibility of the work of God's Holy Spirit upon the 
immortal soul of man, as the vital source of true 
religion in him, and therefore the primary guide 
of his life and conduct;" it induced our friend 
Joseph Phipps, from a sense of duty, to appear in 
print as an advocate for "that Divine principle 
vouchsafed by a gracious Creator, through a benefi- 
cent Redeemer," to all his rational creatures; and 
also to defend the Society from unjust imputations 
attempted to be cast upon it. The first nine chap- 
ters are designed to show the verity of our leading 
principles — the rem.aining allude to opinions con- 
tained in the Treatise of the Opponent; but the 
controversial parts being omitted, the exposition 
of Gospel truths in those chapters is very interest- 
ing, clearly illustrative of genuine Christianity, 
and in unison with the whole design of the work. 

(iii) 



THE 

ORIGINAL 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 



CHAPTER I. 

1. Man was originally created in purity, and in a state of due order 
and rectitudje. 2. He was inspired with a sense of his duty; and 3 
and 4, empowered to perform it. 5. Being tempted, he lapsed from 
his proper guard, the preserving power of God, into sin. 6. He fell 
from the image of the heavenly, into the image of the earthly. 
How unlawful self rose in him. 7. That he really suffered death in 
spirit, in the day of his transgression. What the life and death of 
the soul are. 

1. In the beginning God created all things good. 
Inherently and immutably good himself, every pro- 
duction of his must necessarily be so, according to 
the several kinds wherein he created them. As man 
was wholly made by him, he must have been made 
wholly good ; his nature clear of all impurity, and 
free from all defect and disorder. His faculties 
were not imperfect, but limited to their proper 
sphere, and every part of his composition consti- 
tuted in its due rectitude : the body placed in sub- 
servience to his rational spirit or soul, as to the 
more noble and excellent, and therefore the supe- 
1* (5) 



6 THE ORIGINAL AND 

rior part, made for immortality, and in subjection 
only to the guidance of its Creator. 

2. The human faculties or powers of capacity, 
must then be clear, unprejudiced, and fit to receive 
impressions, yet void of any but those of immediate 
seuse. Man, merely as man, could not originally 
bring any real knowledge into the world with him. 
That must either be immediately communicated to 
him by his Maker, or afterwards acquired by him- 
self, through observation and experience. The lat- 
ter required time to eflFect ; and as it was requisite 
to his situation, that he should be immediately en- 
dued with such an understanding of himself and 
his Creator, as related to his present duty and 
affected his felicity, he certainly was, by divine 
wisdom and goodness, timely furnished with it. 

3. Man must not only then be supplied with a 
due degree of light and understanding, but he must 
also be empowered to act up to it, else his know- 
ledge would have been afforded him in vain. Yet, 
though he certainly was thus empowered, the sequel 
manifested he was placed in a state of probation, 
otherw^ise, he could never have been guilty of the 
least failure ; for his Maker being essentially and 
unchangeably good, must have fixed him in a state 
of immutable virtue and goodness, had he deter- 
mined to fix him at all. 

4. As the omniscient Creator most certainly fore- 
saw what a subtle adversary man would have to 
encounter, he as surely furnished him with means 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 7 

sufficient to discover his snares, and resist his as- 
saults. If Satan was suffered to use his subtlety 
and influence to deceive him, doubtless he was not 
only warned, but also endued with a sufficiency of 
divine light and influence to withstand his attempts, 
as he kept duly upon his watch. 

Nothing but the divine nature can enable any in- 
telligent creature to resist temptation, and act up to 
the divine will. If therefore any created being is 
required to keep up thereunto, it must be assisted 
by divine power so to do. God created man for a 
purpose of his own glory. To glorify God, and 
to partake of his glory, man must walk in obedience 
to his will. Man could neither infallibly know his 
will, nor constantly perform it, merely by the 
strength of his own faculties ; he must therefore, 
necessarily, have been assisted by the spirit of God, 
to enable him to perform his will, and so to obey 
him as to glorify him, and enjoy a blessed inherit- 
ance in him ; otherwise, the end of man's creation 
could not be answered. Hence it is concluded, the 
first man Adam was made a living soul by the in- 
spiration of the second Adam, Christ, who is a 
quickening spirit ; for " That was not first which is 
spiritual, but that which is natural ; and afterward 
that which is spiritual.'* * That is, Adam was first 
created a natural man, and then rendered a spirit* 
ual one by the quickening power of the spirit of 

*1 Cor. XV. 45, 46. 



8 THE ORIGINAL AND 

Christ, which is the true life, and proper element 
for immortal spirits to live and move in. 

Thus the parents of mankind, in their original un- 
corrupted state, being fit temples for the Holy Ghost 
to dwell in, were, as well as the sanctified in Christ 
afterwards, partakers of the divine nature,* by the " 
internal quickening of divine life. The author of 
the book of Wisdom observes, that wisdom in all 
ages, and certainly in the first and purest, entereth 
holy souls ; which wisdom he describes to be the 
breath of the power of God, a pure influence flow- 
ing from the glory of the Almighty, the brightness 
of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of 
the power of God, and the image of his goodness. f 
This clearly denotes the spirit of the eternal Son of 
God himself, and evidently concurs with those parts 
of the New Testament which declare him to be the 
power of God, and the wisdom of God, the true 
light, and life of men, the brightness of the Father's 
glory, and the image of the invisible God. J 

It was undoubtedly in the light of this pure influ- 
ence that Adam had such an intuitive discerning of 
the creation, as enabled him to give names to them 
according to their several natures. For we read, 
'' The Lord God formed every beast of the field, 
and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto 
Adam, to see what he would call them ; and what- 
soever Adam called every living creature, that was i 
the name thereof. "§ 

* 1 Pet. i. 4. t Wis. vii. t 1 Cor. i. 24. Col. i. 15, 

John. i. 4. 9. 2 Cor. iv. 4. | Gen. ii. 19. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 9 

Under this celestial enduement, the sacred im- 
pression of the divine image conspicuously ap- 
peared in the first of mankind. "In the image of 
God created he them."* 

5. Had man kept in faithful obedience to his 
heavenly guide, and rejected the efforts of the 
tempter, he might undoubtedly, in due time, have 
been advanced to a degree of establishment beyond 
all possibility of falling ; but not continuing strictly 
upon his watch, and contrary to the warning be- 
fore given him, turning his attention towards the 
temptation, when alluringly presented, he slipped 
from his proper guard ; leaving hold of that spirit 
wherein his life and strength lay, he fell from it, 
and all its advantages, out of the liberty of the sons 
of God, into the bondage of corruption : a sure in- 
troduction to misery. For as holiness and happi- 
ness are inseparably united, so sin and misery are 
indivisibly connected. 

To suppose that the Almighty author of all good, 
originally subjected man under a moral necessity to 
transgress upon the appearance of temptation, is an 
imagination too injurious to the divine character to 
be admitted. Our first parents were unquestionably 
enabled by their Maker to abide in due watchful- 
ness, which would have entitled them to preserva- 
tion ; their defection from which, was certainly not 
of him, but of themselves. Had their lapse been 
through his will, or intentional disposition of cir- 

* Gen. i. 27. 



10 THE ORIGINAL A])JD 

cumstances, so that it must inevitably follow, he 
coald not consistently have sentenced them to pun- 
ishment for it ; because, in so doing, they performed 
his will, which could not be a sin against him. 

A dangerous fondness to become knowing in 
things hurtful and no way necessary, seems to have 
had an early entrance into the human mind. '' In 
the day ye eat, your eyes shall be opened, and 
ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.''* 
By the suggestion of this flattering falsehood, Eve 
was deceived. Knowing nothing but good, she 
might have remained happy; but experiencing evil, 
she became otherwise. This knowledge is as oppo- 
site to that of the divine wisdom, as darkness is to 
light. It is certain the Omniscient knows both good 
and evil, but he knows the first by immutable pos- 
session and perfect enjoyment, and the last he be- 
holds with abhorrence, in eternal opposition to, 
and infinite distance from, the purity of his nature. 
With sinful man the case is reverse ; evil having 
immediate possession of him, and good being out of 
his reach, without divine mercy, he must be com- 
pletely wretched. This is the necessary conse- 
quence of that boasted knowledge of the world, 
which men acquire by tasting the pernicious and 
poisonous sweets of temptation. 

6. The consequences of this primary lapse were 
immediately afi*ecting to the actual transgressors, 
and remotely to all their posterity. 1. They lost 

* Gen. iii. 5. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 11 

the briglit impression of the divine image, and the 
felicity attending it. Forfeiting the immediate in- 
dwelling and pure influence of God's holy spirit, 
they lost that divine similitude, wherein they had 
enjoyed internal light, life, love, goodness, righte- 
ousness, holiness, and happiness. That omnipresent 
spirit of power, truth, and virtue, which in their 
original state had been their comforter, disunited 
from them through transgression, now became their 
accuser and con victor. 2. Lapsing from under due 
and constant subjection to the mind and spirit of his 
Creator, the will of man separated from the will of 
God, and became self-will. Self-love in man was 
originally and properly placed in subservience to the 
love of his Maker, who being in all respects justly 
supreme, had, whilst man stood in cheerful obe- 
dience, the supremacy in his affection ; but by his 
un dutiful self-gratification, and letting in the sug- 
gestion of the tempter, his chief love turned from 
his Maker to himself. Thus, probably ,^ inordinate 
self-love and self-will originated in man^ and they 
always stand in a will separate from the will of God, 
and a spirit contrary to his holy spirit. This men- 
tal separation opened an easy road of access for the 
evil spirit to influence the human mind towards ex- 
terior objects, and rendered them the subjects of 
temptation. By giving way to carnal inclinations, 
man became carnally minded; and ^'to be carnally 
minded is death."* 

*Rom. viii. 6. 



12 THEORiaiNALANB 

7. When the Sovereign Legislator first added a 
positive law to Adam, he predenounced immediate 
death upon him in case of his transgression; '4n 
the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely 
die."* This seems to imply a much deeper and 
more important meaning than what relates to the 
body ; a meaning more immediately affecting to 
the rational soul ; the privation of a life which be- 
fore transgression it happily enjoyed, and which, 
by disobedience, it must certainly lose. What then 
is the proper life of the soul, and what is the death 
of that which must for ever exist ? Merely to be, 
cannot be the life intended. It must be, to live in 
that life which immutably exists only in the divine 
nature, and which is not to be enjoyed but by par- 
taking of the divine nature, the spirit of him who is 
the life, and our life ; that life the Evangelist de- 
clares to be the true light of men.f 

This supernatural, spiritual, heavenly power and 
virtue of the great illuminator and quickener, is the 
true life of the immortal spirit of man ; and the total 
want and deprivation thereof, is its death. Turning 
from this to embrace temptation, our first parents 
did surely, in the day of transgression, deviate from, 
and die in spirit to that divine life by which they 
had been quickened. For, it is the spirit that quick- 
eneth or giveth life ; J and when life departs, death 
ensues of course. As the body dies when deprived 

^ Gen. ii. 17. f 2 Pet. i. 4. John xiv. 6. Col. iii. 4. John i. 4 
t John vi. 63. 2 Oor. iii. 6. 



PRESENT STATE OE MAN. 13 

1 1 its animal life, so the soul is left in a state of 
smritual death, when that which is its proper life 
departs from it ; saving this difference, that the de- 
ceased body remains wholly insensible ; but the 
soul, in the full state of its death, still exists under 
the unavoidable sense of its gailt and misery. Thus 
according to Wisdom, man found death in the error 
of his life.* — ''For God made not death, neither 
hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living" — 
but, " through envy of the devil came death into 
the world. "t 



CHAPTER II. 

1. The Fall of Adam and Eve affected all their progeny, not with 
guilt, but with infirmity. 2. How this accrues. 3. The state of 
infants. 4. The common ascendence of the sensitive powers over 
the rational. 5. How the creature is said, Rom. viii. to be subjected 
to vanity by its Creator. 6. When arrived to years of understanding, 
we add sin to infirmity. 

1. It appears from holy writ, that previous to 
our own actual offences, we are all naturally af- 
fected by the transgression of our primogenitors. 
''By one man sin entered into the world, and death 
by sin, so death passed upon all men, for that all 
have sinned."! This is not to be understood of the 
death of the body only ; for all come into the world 
in the image of the earthly, or, void of the quick- 
ening and sensible influence of divine life. But this 

•^ Wisdora i. 12, 13. t Ibid. ii. 24. % Rom. v. 12. 

2 



14 THE ORIGIN ALAND 

disadvantage, througli the supreme Goodness, is 
amply provided for, and there appears no necessity 
to conclude, that we all come into the world justly 
obnoxious to divine vengeance, for an offence com- 
mitted by our primogenitors, before we came into 
the world. With what propriety can an infant, in. 
capable of committing any crime, be treated as an 
offender ? The Scripture positively assures us, God*s 
v/ays are equal* — that the soul that sinneth it shall 
die, and not the son for the fault of the father — 
that whatever Adam's posterity lost through him, 
that and more they gain in Christ ;f and undoubt- 
edly, his mercy and goodness, and the extent of his 
propitiation, are as applicable to infants, who have 
not personally offended, as to adults who have. 

2. The immortal reasonable soul of man, in every 
individual, appears to be the immediate production 
of its Creator ; for the prophet Zechariah, speaking 
of the great acts of God in creation, asserts, that 
"he formeth the spirit of man within him. 'J And 
in Eccles. xii. 7, we read upon the death of the 
body, '' Then shall the dust return to the earth as it 
was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave 
it." The soul therefore, receiving its existence im- 
mediately from the perfection of unchangeable pu- 
rity, can have no original impurity or intemperature 
in its nature ; but being immediately and imtimately 
connected with a sensitive body, and of itself, un- 
able constantly to withstand the eagerness of the 

* Ezek. xviii. f Rom. v. 15 to 20. % Zech. xii. 1. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 15 

animal passions after gratifications of a carnal na- 
ture, is liable to be so influenced by them, as to 
partake with them in their sensual indulgences. In 
this state the descendants of Adam came into the 
world, unendued with that divine life which Adam 
fell from. And who can say, this might not be ad- 
mitted in mercy to all the future generations of 
mankind? 1st. That each succeeding individual 
micrht be prevented from intjurring the guilt of re- 
peating the sin of our prime ancestors, and falling 
from the same degree of innocence, purity and di- 
vine enjoyment. 2d. That, by feeling the infirmity 
of our own nature, and the want of divine assist- 
ance, we might become the more sensible of our 
danger and necessary dependence on our Creator, 
and thence be continually incited to seek after and 
cleave to him, in watchfulness, circumspection and 
prayer, in order to obtain a state of restoration. 
3d. That having in part attained such a state, our 
prudence might be useful towards our preservation 
and growth therein ; since we should certainly be 
more assiduously concerned, to secure to ourselves 
a good condition obtained through pains and diflS- 
culty, than one we might have been originally 
placed in without any care or trouble to ourselves. 

3. Whatever were the peculiarities attending the 
fall of the first man and woman, or those conse- 
quent upon it, this is certain, that their progeny do 
not come into the world in that same state of brio:ht- 
ness themselves were constituted in after their crea- 



16 THEOEIGINALANB 

tion. It cannot escape the notice of those who have 
had the care of infants, that the earliest exertions 
observable in them, evidently arise from the powers 
of animal desire, and animal passion ; how prone 
these are to increase in them, and to predominate 
as they grow up, and the solicitude it requires to 
keep children out of unruliness and intemperature, 
as they advance to youth's estate ; how much too 
potent their inordinate propensities are for the go- 
vernment of the rational faculty ; what pains are 
necessary to regulate, and often but to palliate them, 
by a virtuous education, and improving converse; 
and the impossibility they should ever be radically 
subdued and ruled, without the application of a su- 
perior principle. 

4. In the present state of our nature, the sensitive 
powers take the lead of the rational in the first stage 
of life, as the soul brings only a capacity, without 
any real knowledge, or potency, into the world with 
it. It acquires its knowledge by degrees, enlarging 
also in capacity to receive it gradually. Every one 
knows, it is not capable at five or ten years of age, 
to comprehend the same ideas in the same extent, 
as in riper and more advanced years. It first be- 
comes impressed with the images of external things, 
presented through the corporeal organs, and after- 
wards with those mental ideas inculcated by its pri- 
mary instructors, whether true or false. Hence the 
bias of education becomes strong, either to right or 
wrong, according as the instructions received are 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 17 

o&greeable to either ; and the passions being enlisted 
in their service, occasionally exercise their warmth 
in favour of the prevalent idea or impression, how- 
ever wrong it may be ; unless the mind, through 
divine illumination, discover its error, and submit 
to its rectification. 

5. Previous to the reception of knowledge, the 
soul is joined to the body, by the power of its Cre- 
ator ; who, in consequence of the fall, saw fit it 
should be so. '^ For," saith the Apostle, ''the crea- 
ture was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but 
by reason of him who hath subjected the same in 
hope; because the creature itself also shall be de- 
livered from the bondage of corruption, into the 
glorious liberty of the children of Grod."* 

The rational soul is here intended by the crea- 
ture, and properly denominates the man. Herein 
the true distinction lies, betwixt the human species 
and creatures of inferior kinds. This descends not 
with the body from parents to children ; the soul 
being an indivisible immaterial substance, cannot be 
generated. The soul of the child never was in the 
parent, and therefore could never sin in him, nor 
derive guilt from his transgression. Neither can 
guilt accrue to it, merely from its being joined to a 
body descended from him, because that junction is 
the act of the Creator. 

To account a child guilty, or obnoxious to pun- 
ishment, merely for an oS*ence committed by its 

* Rom viii. 20, 21. 
2* 



18 THE ORIGINAL AND 

parents, before it could have any consciousness of 
^jeing, is inconsistent both with justice and mercy; 
therefore no infant can be born with guilt upon it^ 
head. 

6. Besides our natural alienation from, and ig- 
norance of the internal life of God, * in our fallen 
state, it must be acknowledged, that all who have 
arrived to such a degree of maturity as to be ca- 
pable of receiving a right understanding, and of 
distinguishing the inward monitions of Truth in 
their conscience, have also increased and strength- 
ened the bonds of corruption upon themselves, in 
different degrees, by a repeated, and too frequently 
an habitual, indulgence of the carnal part, against 
the sense of duty received ; and are more deeply 
entered into the dark region of the shadow of 
death, through their own trespasses and sins.f 
Thus, "all have sinned, and come short of the 
glory of God/'t 



* Eph. iv. li? t Eph. ii. 1. X I^ODi- iii- 23. 



PEESENT STATE OF MAN. 19 



CHAPTER III. 

1. The state of man in the fallen nature, and the necessity of his 
renovation. 2. His inability to accomplish it for himself, and the 
necessity of Divine assistance thereunto. 3. What moral evil is — 
that it both may, and must be removed from man, in order to his 
felicity. 4. Without this, man is not fully acquitted by the one 
offering of our Saviour at Jerusalem. 5. The spirit of God is abso- 
lutely necessary to effect this great work. 6. What perfect redemp- 
tion from sin consists in — the term world, John iii. 16, is not to 
be confined to the elect — Christ tasted death for all men without 
exception. 

1. Whatever we may have derived from our 
parents, we certainly accumulate to ourselves ad- 
ditional corruption. ''AH flesh hath corrupted his 
way upon the earth.''* Every adult person, in his 
common natural state, must, upon serious introver- 
sion, find in himself a proneness to the gratifica- 
tion of self, and the sensual part; an eager incli- 
nation at times to forbidden pleasure, an aversion 
to piety and holy walking, a consciousness of guilt, 
and a fearful apprehension of the approach of 
death. Men generally confess they have erred 
and strayed, like lost sheep, from the salutary 
paths of virtue and duty; and that, such is their 
frailty, it is an easy thing for them to fall in with 
temptation ; but hard, if not impossible, effectually 
to resist it. Nay, even the high rewards promised 
to virtue and a good life, and the sore punishments 
annexed to vice and folly, are altogether insuflGi- 

* Gen. vi. 12. 



20 THE ORIGINAL AND 

cient to retain them in the practice of the former, 
or to enable them to conquer the force of their in- 
clination to the latter. This demonstrates the cor- 
ruption of their nature; and as ''out of the abun- 
dance of the heart the mouth speaketh;"* so from 
what lodges or presides within, the exterior prac- 
tice arises. The corruption in the heart corrupts 
the actions, manners and language. Hence all 
the irregularities in conduct, all the profane and 
untrue speeches, all the common complimental 
falsehoods, to gratify the pride and folly of vain 
minds. 

As the origin of evil in man came by transfer- 
ring his attention and desire from his Creator to 
the creature, dividing his will from the will of God, 
and his spirit from the spirit of God ; so the con- 
tinuation of evil in man is by the continuance of 
this separation, and must abide so long as that re- 
mains. In this situation, commonly called the state 
of nature, we are both unfit for, and unable to en- 
ter the heavenly kingdom, which admits of nothing 
sinful or unclean. f It is therefore absolutely requi- 
site that man should be made holy, in order to be 
happy. Holiness cannot unite with unholiness ; nor 
can ability arise from infirmity. If pollution can 
cleanse itself, if evil can produce good, if death 
can bring forth life ; man thus corrupted, debili- 
tated, and deadened, may disengage, reform, quick- 
en, and restore himself. But it is not in the power 

* Mat. xii. 34. t Eph. v. 5. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 21 

of man, as such, to extricate himself from the bonds 
of sin and death. Yet, as impurity is the bar, 
it must be removed. As sin separates man from 
his Maker,* man must be separated from sin, or 
he cannot be reconciled and united to him. With- 
out restoration to a state of holiness, he cannot 
enjoy the felicity pertaining to that state ; for, 
^' without holiness no man shall see the Lord."t 

2. How then shall corrupt man become holy ? how 
shall he, in a state of utter incapacity, enter into 
and maintain a warfare against his many and 
mighty adversaries, which beset him within and 
without ? what ability has he to fight his enemy 
who is already enchained by him ? a power too 
strong for man has got possession ; it must be a 
superior power to dispossess him, to rescue and 
restore man ; and who is sufficient for these things ? 
None but his omnipotent Creator was able to un- 
bind and extricate him. But his will Adam had 
separated from, his law he had transgressed, his 
command he had disobeyed, and against him alone 
he had committed this high offence. Yet, behold 
the astonishing compassion and kindness of infinite 
Goodness ! an all-sufficient means was straightway 
provided, for the redemption both of the actual offen- 
ders and all their progeny. The eternal Word, the 
Son, the Lamb of God Almighty, gave instant 
demonstration of the greatness of divine love and 
mercy, in then concurring with the Father, to yield 

* Isa. lix. 2. t Heb. xii. 14. 



22 THEORIGINALAND 

himself up in due time to take the nature of man upon 
him,'^ and, by resigning it to suffering and death, to 
make it a propitiation for the whole species ; and also, 
in immediately, and all along, affording a manifesta- 
tion of his holy spirit to every man to profit with- 
al,t in order to their present deliverance from the 
power of sin, and their everlasting salvation from 
the certain effect of abiding therein to the last, 
namely, the second death. 

That man should, of himself, empower himself 
to live in the constant practice of crossing his na- 
tural inclinations and propensities, is a wild pre- 
sumption ; but that a spirit infinitely good, and more 
powerful than all his enemies, should so influence, 
incline, and enable him, is highly reasonable to be- 
lieve, because absolutely necessary. By the help 
of God's spirit, man may, like the Apostle, be as- 
sisted to keep his body under, and bring it into sub- 
jection,! before the strength of its passions and 
affections lessens by decay of nature; which the 
rational faculty can never effectually accomplish, 
even under that decay, without superior assistance. 

3. Neither the possibility, nor probability, of 
man's purification and sanctification by the holy 
spirit, can reasonably be doubted; for^ first, as phy- 
sical evil, or bodily pain, has no substantial exist- 
ence of its own, but is puj'ely incidental to corpo- 
real nature ; so moral evil is to the soul, a disorder 
which it has improperly lapsed into. It is no part 

* Heb. ii. 16. f 1 Cor. xii. 6. J 1 Cor. ix. 27, 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 23 

of God's creation, nor has any real existence by 
itself; but is the fallen, defective, distempered con- 
dition of beings, once created without intempera- 
ture or defect. Evil, therefore, though it be in 
man, is no constituent part of man, but an imper- 
fection adventitious to his nature, which by an all- 
powerful principle, he may be recovered from, and 
his nature restored to a state of fitness for union 
with his Maker. Secondly^ uncreated Omnipotence 
is certainly more able to cleanse, than the crea- 
turely, corrupt, and fallen powers of darkness are 
to defile ; and infinite Goodness must be as willing 
and ready to eS'ect the first, as limited envy the last. 
Did not the sovereign Lord intend man should be 
made holy, he would not require it; nor would he 
require it without afibrding him the assistance re- 
quisite to accomplish it, for he enjoins no impossi- 
bilities. That he doth require it, the sacred writings 
sufiiciently witness. "God," saith an Apostlic wri- 
ter, " hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto 
holiness."* And, " Christ also loved the church, 
and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and 
cleanse it, with the washing of water by the word,"f 
or the purifying efficacy of the holy word, or spi- 
rit, which cleanseth the soul as water doth the body, 
" that he might present it to himself a glorious 
church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such 
thing ; but that it should be holy and without blem- 
ish." In another place, he gives this exhortation, 

* 1 Thes. iv. 7. t Epb. v. 25, &c. 



24 THEOKiaiNALAND 

'^Abstain from all appearance of evil/** — then pro- 
ceeds — ''And the very God of peace sanctify you 
wholly ; and I pray God, that your whole spirit, 
and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto 
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." And to en- 
courage them to seek and hope for it, he immedi- 
ately assures them, " faithful is he that calleth you, 
who also will do it." 

4. Vain is that imaginary pretence, that Christ 
has paid the whole price for us, by which we stand 
fully acquitted in the sight of God; that we have 
complete redemption in him without sanctification 
in ourselves; and that by the external offering up 
of his body, he hath perfected the work for us, and 
we are already reconciled thereby. For, was this 
the real truth, Christ only paid the price of man's 
redemption, that he might continue in a state of 
pollution, and practice evil with security ; or be 
justified in breaking the known commands of God, 
and serving Satan during the whole term of this 
life. Contrary to this, the Apostolic doctrine is, 
" His own self bore our sins in his own body on 
the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto 
righteousness. "t — " He died for all, that they which 
live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but 
unto him who died for them. "J — "How shall we 
that are dead to sin live any longer therein ?"§ — 
''Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. 

* 1 Thes. V. 22, 24. t 1 Pet. ii. 24. 

t 2 Cor. V. 15. I Eom. vi. 2, 12, 21, 22. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 25 

that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." — ''What 
fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are 
now ashamed ? For the end of those things is death. 
But now being made free from sin, and become ser- 
vants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and 
the end everlasting life." 

It is true, the apostle saith, '' By one offering he 
hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."* 
But this doth not imply, that his sacrifice perfected 
those who never came to be sanctified. Applying 
it to this case, it can mean no more than that such 
who have so experienced the effectual operation of 
divine grace, as to become sanctified, have remis- 
sion by that one offering for sins committed before 
their sanctification, which perfects their redemp- 
tion ; and also for transgressions after, upon repent- 
ance. For sin once committed cannot be undone ; 
present and future obedience is no more than duty ; 
and past offences must still remain against us with- 
out forgiveness. Our Saviour therefore, by his sa- 
crifice, manifested the mercy, love, and kindness of 
God; ''by whom," saith the apostle, "he was set 
forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, 
to declare his righteousness, for the remission of 
sins that are past, through the forlearance of God."*}* 
Herein he showed, that a door of reconciliation is 
opened to all men ; but those who through unbe- 
lief of, and disobedience to divine grace, never ex- 
perience the work of sanctification, deprive them- 
^eb. X. 14. t^om. iii. 25. 



26 THE ORIGINAL AND 

selves of that unspeakable advantage ; for it is 
through sanctification that any come effectually to 
enjoy the benefit of the sacrifice of Christ. That 
outward offering for all, showed the love of God 
towards all ; and that he stands ready to pardon 
past transgression, in all who sincerely accept his 
terms of true repentance and reformation ; but our 
salvation is not completed by that single act only, 
and the work of redemption finished for us without 
us. Though Christ died for us, that we might be 
brought unto glory, yet we are not actually puri- 
fied, fitted for, and introduced into the kingdom, 
merely by that one offering. The w^ay to recon- 
ciliation w^as opened by the death of Christ; but 
we are not saved by his life till we livingly experi- 
ence the work of salvation in our own particulars. 
5. It is always requisite that the means be ade- 
quate to the end, the cause sufiicient to the effect; 
therefore as all men throughout all nations, and 
every generation, originally stand in equal relation 
to their Creator, have been, and must naturally be 
in absolute need of his help, in order to purifica- 
tion and salvation, the means afforded, for this pur- 
pose must be universal to reach all. It must be a 
principle of real and pow^erful holiness and good- 
ness, to change the condition of man from evil to 
good. It must be omnipotent, to enable him to over- 
come his adversaries, the world, the flesh, and the 
devil. Nothing but a spirit superior to all these 
can effectually cleanse the soul, and operate to the 



PRESENT STATE DF MAN. 27 

expulsion and exclusion of those subtle and powerful 
enemies which continually seek to hold men in the 
bondage of corruption ; therefore nothing but God's 
holy, universal, almighty spirit can effect this ne- 
cessary alteration in man, rectify the disorder sin 
has introduced into his nature; and raise him up 
from a state of spiritual death, by producing a new 
and heavenly birth of divine life in him, by which 
he may be created anew in Christ Jesus unto good 
works, and restored to the image of God in right- 
eousness and true holiness. 

6. Perfect redemption consists, first, in paying 
the price of ransom ; and second, in bringing out of 
bondage, and setting the prisoner at liberty. Our 
Saviour paid the first by his suffering and sacrifice ; 
and he performs the last by the effectual operation 
of his spirit, in the hearts of those who receive him, 
and resign wholly to him. 

None have cause to murmur at, or complain 
against the dispensations of their benevolent Crea- 
tor ; for in Christ he hath rendered to every child of 
Adam a full equivalent for the loss sustained through 
his unhappy fall. ''God so loved the world, that 
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
lieveth in him should not perish, but have everlast- 
ing life.*'* I know some alledge, that the world 
here intends not all men, but the elect only. But 
we find the term world, when confined to men, in 
the New Testament, is used either for all mankind 

* John iii. 16. 



28 THE ORIGINAL AND 

in general, for the majority of mankind, or for the 
unbelieving part of it; and where it intends a part 
of the species, it is often used to signify unbelievers, 
and to distinguish them from believers, but is never 
spoken of believers only. Besides, such an accep- 
tation would turn the text into nonsense, for then it 
must be thus understood ; " God so loved the elect, 
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
of the elect believeth in him, should not perish, but 
have everlasting life." This would imply, that 
some of the elect would not believe in him, and all 
the consequent absurdities of that position. But 
read the text as it stands, and the particle whoso- 
ever^ properly distinguishes the world into believers 
and unbelievers, or faithful and unfaithful ; and 
Bhows that God so loved the whole of his rational 
creation, that he gave all an opportunity of being 
saved through believing ; and if any did not so em- 
brace it, their refusal was the cause of their con- 
demnation, and not the want of God's love, nor of 
an opportunity of closing in with, and receiving 
the benefit of it. This the four succeeding verses 
plainly declare. ''For God sent not his Son into 
the world to condemn the world, but that the 
world through him might be saved. He that be- 
lieveth on him is not condemned ; but he that be- 
lieveth not is condemned already, because he hath 
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son 
of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is 
come into the world, and men loved darkness 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 29 

rather than light because their deeds were evil. 
For every one that doth evil, hateth the light, 
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should 
be reproved."* It is not reasonable to conclude, 
the wJiole world can mean less than the whole human 
species. 

The apostle Peter saith, " The prophecy came 
not in old time, or rather at any time, by the will 
of man, but holy men of God spake as they were 
moved by the Holy Grhost. But there were false 
prophets also among the people, even as there shall 
be false teachers among you, who privily shall 
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord 
that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift 
destruction. "t This indicates that Christ died not 
only for those who come to be saved, but also for 
those who bring destruction upon themselves ; other- 
wise it cannot be understood that, by his sacrifice, 
he bought, or paid the price of redemption, con- 
ditionally for them as well as others. But if he thus 
bouo;ht those who denied him, who yet occasioned 
their own destruction, it is truly asserted in the full 
extent of the words, that " He by the grace of God 
should taste death for every man ;"J and that ''He 
is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours 
only, but also for the sins of the whole world."§ 

■^ John iii. 17, &c. f^ Pet. i. 21, and ii. 1. 

% Ileb. ii. 9 § 1 John ii. 2. 

3* 



30 THE ORIGINAL AND 



CHAPTER IV. 

1. The progeny of Adam not condemnable for his transgression, 
but their own. 2. The vital part of religion is internal, and may be 
experienced by people under every religious denomination, and in 
every part of the world — Pagans not necessarily excluded from 
all share in Christ and Christianity; which, 3. Consists not essen- 
tially in exteriors, or an imp-gery of religion, but in being endued 
with a new nature. 4 and 5. This is certainly and sensibly to be 
known, through the operation of Divine grace. 6. Christ waits 
to be gracious at the door of everj^ man's heart, causeth the dead to 
hear his voice, quickens the observant, and renders them partakers of 
his heavenly communion. 

1. However public a person Adam may be ac- 
counted, and however his posterity might, without 
a Redeemer, have been by any thought chargeable 
with his sin, though I am unable to conceive how 
any man should deserve condemnation for what he 
could not help ; yet our Saviour having paid the 
price of our redemption, by tasting death for every 
man,"^ there cannot be any thing chargeable to 
Adam's descendants, merely on account of his 
transgression, exclusive of their own. Original sin, 
therefore, in that sense which implies guilt in them 
for his offence, I apprehend, has no foundation in 
truth. Nor, was it really so, could any ceremoni- 
ous performance of men, or even all the water of 
Jordan wash it away. All exterior forms, however 
mistakenly exalted, or celebrated amongst man- 

* Heb. ii. 9. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 81 

kind, are but outward and visible signs, and alto- 
gether ineffectual towards any real change or re- 
formation of the subject. And respecting little 
children who are taken away before they have 
personally offended, they cannot in equity be 
chargeable, but may with just confidence he resign- 
ed, as perfectly safe in the arms of their Saviour, 
who declared, " Of such is the kingdom of hea- 
ven ;"* and also told his followers, '' except ye be 
converted, and become as little children, ye shall 
not enter into the kingdom of heaven/'f 

2. The vital part of man's religion and duty 
stands, principally, in a right attention to, and a 
faithful obedience of the manifestation of the spirit 
of Christ in the heart and conscience. He who 
pays due and constant regard to this, is in his mea- 
sure a follower of Christ, and has, in some degree, 
the reality of Christianity in him ; live under w^hat 
mode of profession, or in w^hat part of the world 
soever he may. For who is a servant of Christ but 
he that willingly obeys him? Is he who willingly 
acts according to his verbal precepts, a follower of 
Christ ; and is not he who, without the knowledge 
of these, with equal w^illingness follows the leadings 
of his spirit, also his servant ? Of this spirit the 
truly virtuous and religious amongst the gentiles 
w^ere, in degree, partakers; ''for,'' saith holy writ, 
''when the gentiles which have not the law, do by 
nature the things contained in the law, these, 

* Mat. xix 14. t Ibid. xTiii. 3. 



32 T EE ORIGIN A L AND 

having not the law, are a law unto themselves ; 
which show the work of the law written in their 
. hearts ; their conscience also bearing witness, and 
their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else ex- 
cusing one another/'* 

The words hy nature here, I apprehend, are not 
to be understood as if the apostle intended the gen- 
tiles became virtuous by any goodness in their fal- 
len nature, which must be the same as all other 
men's. The context shows, he was here distinguish- 
ing between those who enjoyed the ministration of 
the Mosaic law, and those who had it not ; and he 
useth the expression, by nature, in the same sense 
as if he had said, without an education under the 
law ; and proceeds to show, that though they had it 
not, yet they practised the substance intended by 
the law. This showed not, that their own nearts 
were their law, but as the apostle explains it, that 
the work of the law was written in their hearts, 
and that they had a part in the new covenant ; in 
reference to which it is said, '^I will put my law in 
their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. "f 
Though they were without the law of Moses, they 
were not without law to God. For, by receiving 
and retaining the divine impressions in their con- 
sciences, they were under the law to Christ, or 
subject to the manifestation of his spirit in their 
hearts ; and in proportion to their obedience, parta- 
kers of the nature of the divine principle within 

^ Horn. ii. 14, 15. t Jer. xxxi. 33. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 33 

them. By the internal operation of this nature, it 
was that they became reformed in heart, and recti- 
fied in life and practice, so far as they were so ; or 
as the text has it, enabled " to do the things con- 
tained in the law." Originally disordered, and ac- 
tually depraved, their own nature as men could 
never have led and empowered them to this ; for 
since the primary lapse, it is prone to evil,''' and 
true reformation and religion arise not from that 
disordered and corrupt ground. They come not by 
nature, but by grace. They are the fruit of that 
good seed universally sown in every heart, by the 
great and good Husbandman for that end. Were 
it not for the notices and powers communicated by 
this internal principle, man must have continued to 
proceed in the increase of corruption, irreligion and 
misery ; as appears too evidently by the conduct of 
such as disregard it. Not by following their own 
nature therefore, but by obedience to the inward 
law of the divine nature written in the heart, the 
conscientiously virtuous amongst the gentiles, as 
well as others, were enabled to perform the things, 
or just morals, contained in the Mosaic law ; 
and thereby to evidence in their measures, the 
effectual operation and authority of the divine law- 
giver within them. 

The gentiles therefore partaking of the law writ- 
ten in the heart, cannot properly be said to be ex- 
cluded from all share in the new covenant, or dis- 

^ Kom. vii. 18. 



84 THE ORIGINAL AND 

pensation of the gospel. The gospel, taken in its 
full extent, is the revelation of the love and mercy, 
and the offer and operation of the grace of God, 
through Christ, to fallen man, in his natural and 
corruptible state, in order to his restoration and 
salvation. It is not wholly contracted into the 
mere tidings ; but including these, goes deeper, and 
essentially consists in the thing declared by them ; 
the power of God administered to the salvation of 
the soul.* By this the outward coming of Christ 
is rendered truly and fully effectual to each indi- 
vidual. Those who believe in, and obey him in his 
inward and spiritual manifestations, by which the 
gospel is preached in every rational creature under 
Heaven, may come to be partakers of his life, and 
be saved by him from the second death of eternal 
misery, though providentially incapacitated to know 
the exterior history of his incarnation, &c. 

That virtuous and devout gentiles were approved 
of God, appears in the case of Cornelius ;t for we 
find that before his reception of historical and ver- 
bal Christianity, his sincere devotion, and reverence 
towards his Creator, and charitable acts to the 
needy, '-came up for a memorial before God," who 
also now taught Peter, verse 15, the gentiles he had 
thus cleansed were no more to be esteemed com- 
mon or unclean than the believing Jews, and gave 
him of a truth, to perceive, ^' that God is no respect- 
er of persons ; but in every nation, he that feareth 

* Rom. i. 16. t Acts x. 2, 3, 4. 



PRESENT STA1?E OF MAN. 85 

him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with 
him."* 

Hence it appears, that those who conscientiously 
obey the spiritual manifestations of Christ in them, 
are internally, though not by outward profession, his 
disciples and followers, and truly believe in him so 
far as he is revealed to them ; for obedience is the 
certain proof of a right faith. And I make no ques- 
tion, but those in any part of the globe, who, from 
invincible obstacles, have not the opportunity of 
historical Christianity, in their obedience to the 
spiritual appearance of Christ in their hearts, are 
accepted, and partake of the benefits of his death. 
Why should they not be as capable of receiving ad- 
vantage by the sacrifice of Christ, as disadvantage 
by the fall of Adam, whilst they are equally 
strangers to the history of both ? But certainly, 
those to whom the sacred writings are providen- 
tially communicated, are under double obligation, 
since they are favoured with that additional instru- 
mental advantage ; and it will tend to their greater 
condemnation, if they believe not unto obedience. 
For, however high the profession of such may be, 
they are but imperfect, superficial, ineflectual be- 
lievers, who hold with the external part, and expe- 
rience not the internal : Christians in name, but not 
in deed and in truth. It is essential to us who have 
the scriptures, to believe both in the outward 
coming, and inward ministration of our Saviour; 

* Acts X. 34, 35. 



86 THE ORIGINAL AND 

resigning to him, and trusting in him, with that 
faith of the operation of God, which works by love 
to the purification of the heart, and is the saving 
faith of the gospel. 

Complete Christianity has both an inside and an 
outside ; a profession or bodily appearance, and a 
life and virtue, which is as a soul to that body. 
Those who are in possession of both, are complete 
Christians. Those who have the inward part with- 
out the outward, though incomplete in that respect, 
will in the sight of perfect equity, certainly be pre- 
ferred to such as have the latter without the former; 
and it would be well for all who have the history, 
and profess the Christian religion, yet walk con- 
trary to its requirings, could they change conditions 
at last with such conscientious gentiles. Let those 
who are so deeply affected with absurdity, as to 
believe or imagine, that infinite wisdom, goodness 
and equity, has confined salvation to such of his 
creatures as happen, without any choice of their 
own, to inhabit particular spots of the globe, are 
formalized after a peculiar manner, or entertain one 
particular set of articles and opinions, let such 
duly consider the following texts. " Verily I say 
unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not 
in Israel; and I say unto you, that many shall 
come from the east and west, and shall sit down 
with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the king- 
dom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom,'* 
by education merely, "shall be cast out into outer 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 87 

darkness ; there shall be weeping and gnashing of 
teeth."* ^' After this I beheld, and lo, a great multi- 
tude, which no man could number, of all nations, 
and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before 
the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white 
robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a 
loud voice, saying. Salvation to our God, who sitteth 
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb ! f 

3. Eeal Christianity consists not in the profession 
of any framed articles of belief, nor in the practice 
of signs and ceremonies, however displayed with 
exterior pomp, or whatever significance may be 
fancifully attributed to them by their supporters. 
Form and profession make not a real Christian, but 
the putting on of a new nature. " They that are 
Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections 
and lusts. "J '^ If any man be in Christ, he is a new 
creature ; old things are passed away ; behold all 
things are become new, and all things are of God."§ 
The necessity of regeneration, the power by which 
it is effected, and the co-operation of God and man 
therein, are all included in that text ; " If ye live 
after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the 
spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 
For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they 
are the sons of God." || 

4. The new birth is not brought forth in particu- 
lars imperceptibly. The new man is renewed in 

* Mat. viii. 10, 11, 12. t Rev. vii. 9, 10. t (>al. v. 24. 
§ 2 Cor. V. 17, 18. || Rom. viii. 13, 14. 

4 



88 THE ORIGINAL AND 

knowledge ;* in a certain and sensible experience. 
The soul in whom it is going forward, has an inter- 
nal sense of it through its whole progress, and must 
keep a steady eye thereunto, that it may go forward. 
^' We all," saith the apostle, " with open face behold- 
ing, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are chang- 
ed into the same image, from glory to glory, even 
as by the spirit of the Lord."t ^J looking at the 
deceitful beauty of temptation, men fall into sin, and 
by keeping a steadfast eye inwardly unto Christ in 
spirit, with humble resignation to him, and earnest 
desire after him, man finds preservation, and gradu- 
ally advanceth from one degree of grace to another, 
till he really experienceth a renewal of the Divine 
likeness upon his soul, and an inward translation 
out of sin, darkness and death, into Divine light, life 
and holiness : and thereby, in conclusion, from anxiety 
and misery, to peace and felicity. 

5. The natural man may polish and adorn him- 
self with variety of literature, arts and breeding; 
but in his best accomplishments, he is but the natu- 
ral man still, whom the apostle declares, receiveth 
not the things of the spirit of God, neither can he 
know them. J This is the natural condition of all 
men, before the work of renovation is begun in 
them ; and seeing all stand in need of divine grace 
to effect it, and that " God will have, or willcth, all 
men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge 
of the truth ;"§ so, "the grace of God that bringeth 

* Col. iii. 10. t 2 Cor. iii. 18. 

X 1 Cor. ii. 14. i 1 Tim. ii. 4. 



PRESENT STATEOFMAN. 89 

salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us," 
by its convictions, " that denying ungodliness and 
worldly lusts, "we should live soberly, righteously, 
and godly in this present world/'* Thus, ''the 
mighty God, even the Lord hath spoken, and 
called the earth, from the rising of the sun unto 
the going down thereof/'f All personal instruc- 
tions, and the writings of the prophets, apostles 
and their contemporaries, taken in their full ex- 
tent, have never been any thing near so universal 
amongst mankind, as this grace and power of 
God ; for it always hath been, and is present to 
every individual in aU nations, and throughout every 
generation. 

6. He who is given for a light to the gentiles, 
and God's salvation to the ends of the earth, J not 
only dispenseth of his grace universally and indi- 
vidualh', but even v/aits to be gracious. ''Behold," 
saith he, "I stand at the door and knock; if any 
man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come 
in to him., and will sup with him, and he with me."§ 
This is Christ in spirit, who proclaimeth. He that 
hath an ear let him hear. 

Query. But if man in his fallen estate be dead^ 
how can the dead hear ? 

Answ. When the Saviour called "Lazarus, 
come forth ! || the dead was quickened and imme- 
diately obeyed. The voice of him who is a quick 

* Tit. ii. 11, 12. t Psal. 1. 1. % Isa. xlix. 6. 
§ Rev. iii. 20 || John xi. 43. 



40 THE ORIGINAL AND 

ening spirit"^ is a quickening power. " The hour is 
coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the 
voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall 
live."t 

Query. What is meant by his standing at the 
door ? 

Answ. His wonderful condescension, patience 
and long forbearance, in waiting upon the soul of 
man, as for an entrance; that as he is a rational 
creature, he may be prevailed with willingly to 
open his heart to his Redeemer and receive him. 

Query. How doth Christ in spirit knock, or 
call? 

Answ. By influencing the soul in its seasons of 
quietude, so as to excite inclinations and desires 
towards good ; and also at other times, by distress- 
ing it with the painful sensations of guilt and re- 
morse, for its sinful pursuits and practices. 

Query. How shall man open to him, and receive 
him ? 

Answ. By resigning his attachment to self, and 
the propensities of sense, and humbly adhering to 
the voice, or present manifestations of the spirit. 

Query. How doth the Lord come in and sup with 
man, and make him a partaker of his supper ? 

Answ. When the spirit of Christ is received by 
the soul in faith, love and due submission, he pro- 
ceeds by degrees to set it at liberty from the bond- 

* 1 Cor. XV. 45. t John v. 25. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN, 41 

age and influence of corruption ; for, " where the 
spirit of the Lord is/' in possession, ''there is liber- 
ty;"* and when he hath brought the soul into a 
proper degree of purification, he sheds the comfort 
of his love into it, and makes it a partaker of the 
communion of saints, which is inward and spiritual. 
This is the true supper of the Lord. He who par- 
ticipates of this, discerns and tastes the Lord's spiri- 
tual body, and experienceth it to be meat indeed, 
and his blood to be drink indeed.f 



CHAPTER V. 

I. God's true and faithful witness in the conscience, a divine monitor 
and daily preacher to man. 2. It produceth the new-birth in the 
obedient; and, 3, promoteth its growth in them. 4. This no indignity 
to man, but the contrary, and of absolute necessity to his ascendenee 
above sublunary considerations. 5. It is not beneath the dignity of 
the Creator to make man so far the subject of his especial regard, as 
to enable him to answer the end he created him for. The same 
power that created, requisite to the support of his creation, and hia 
continual superintendence necessary to mankind. 

1. Mankind are not left to Satan, nor to their 
own lusts, nor to live without God in the world. 
A way is cast up. A means is provided. Besides 
the natural, and traditional consciousness of mere 
moral good and evil in every breast, God hath a 
divine witness in the heart of each individual, 
which will truly manifest right and WTong in the 
consciences of those who faithfully attend thereto, 

* 2 Cor. iii. 17. t John vi. 55. 

4 * 



42 THE ORIGINAL AND 

afford light and pov/er to set them free from the 
mists of prepossession and prejudice, and become to 
them a safe conductor, and an able supporter in the 
paths of religion and virtue. 

What instructor can we have equal to this most 
intimate witness ? A monitor so near, so constant, 
so faithful, so infallible ! This is the great gospel- 
privilege of every man : the advantage of having it 
preached day by day in his own heart, without 
money, and without price, yet with certainty. Is it 
reasonable to conclude, this nice, true and awful 
discerner, should be less than divine? Can any 
person, upon serious consideration, imagine it to be 
the nature of the fallen man himself ? Is there the 
least probability that any thing so corrupted and 
clouded, should so clearly and instantly distinguish, 
and would the heart of man, which is declared by 
inspiration to be deceitful above all things, and 
desperately wicked,"^ so faithfully reprove itself? 
Would that which delights in its own indulgence, 
and is impatient of restraint, act in daily control to 
its own inclinations ? Is it the property of evil to 
do good ? Here is a just criterion. That which is 
natural leads according to nature ; that which is 
spiritual according to the spirit. These are distin- 
guished in scripture by the terms flesh and spirit,f 
and are truly said to war against each other in 
man. As sin wars against the spirit to destroy the 
soul, the spirit wars against sin to save the soul. 

Let me query with you who, instead of embra- 
^ Jer. xvii. 9. f K-om. vii. 23. Gal. v. 17. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 43 

cing in humility, love, and tliankfalness, this up- 
right principle as divine, are exerting your abilities 
to depreciate and revile it. Whilst you confess 
it distinguishes right from wrong in your own 
breasts, by its approbation of the first, and rebuke 
of the last ; can you thus acknowledge it to be infal- 
libly good, and, at the same time attribute it to your- 
selves? *'I know,"saith Paul, ^' that in me, that is 
in my flesh," or belonging to my nature, ^' dwelleth 
no good thing."* Is your nature in a better con- 
dition than his was ? Is there any good thing in 
yours, yet was there none in his ? He confessed he 
had none as man. I presume you have no more 
than he had. Whence then this quick and righteous 
discriminator appearing in your consciences ? You 
will not say, it is of Satan ; it must therefore either 
be of man, or of God. For the reasons above hint- 
ed, it cannot be of man ; it must therefore be of God. 
Wonderful is the mercy, and great the advantage 
to every man, that God himself, according to 
the scriptures, thus condescends to be the teacher 
of his people, t by the manifestation of his spirit in 
every heart ; and certainly it ought to be accepted 
and observed with the greatest reverence and 
thankfulness. 

2. The increase and operation of this living 
principle becomes a new life in and to the obedient 
soul, quickening and refreshing it with a sense of 
divine love, strength, and comfort. This life being 

* Kom. vii. 18. f Isa. ii. 3. and liv. 13. Jer. xxxi. 34 

John vi. 45, and xvi. 13. 1 Thes. iv. 9. IJohn ii 27, 



44 THE ORIGINAL AND 

begotten and brought forth by the holy spirit in the 
willing mind, is called a birth of the spirit, and 
being its new production there, it is styled the new 
birth ; and seeing our first parents, immediately 
upon their creation, were favoured with this spirit- 
ual birth in them, and lost it by disobedience ; the 
renewal of it, both in themselves and in their poste- 
rity, has taken the terms of regeneration and reno- 
vation, or the birth of divine life renewed in man. 
Being inheritors of spiritual death in Adam, or in 
the fallen state and nature, we can only be born 
again to life in Christ, by the power and virtue of 
his holy spirit who is the resurrection and the 
life.^ 

3. Every productive power brings forth its own 
likeness ; the evil spirit an evil birth, and the good 
spirit a birth answerable to its goodness ; and as 
every natural birth admits of a growth, so doth this 
spiritual birth in the soul. Our Saviour represents 
its gradual progression, in those similies of the in- 
crease of the mustard-seed, the process of leaven, 
and the springing up of living water into everlasting 
life.f The apostles Peter and John also show the se- 
veral gradations experienced amongst the believers, 
under the similies of new-born babes, children, young 
men and fathers. J There is likewise not only a pro- 
gression from the lowest of these states to the high- 
est, but even that of fathers admits of continual ad- 
vances, as Paul witnesseth ; who, though he truly 

* John xi. 25. f Luke xiii. 18, 22. John iv. 14. t 1 Pet. ii. 2. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 45 

asserted, that the law of the spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus had set him free from the law of sin and 
death,* yet he was sensible of higher degrees of at- 
tainment still before him ; and therefore, after he 
had been nearly thirty years in the apostleship, he 
makes this acknowledgement ; " Not as though I had 
already attained, either were already perfect, but I 
follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which 
also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, 
I count not myself to have apprehended ; but this 
one thino; I do, fororettino; those thincrs which are 
behind, and reaching forth unto those things which 
are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of 
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. "f 

4. Those who treat this doctrine, of the necessity 
of man's being renewed, led and guided by the 
spirit of his Maker, as a disparagement to human 
reason, put the highest indignity upon the supreme 
wisdom, goodness, and po-wer. The dignity of hu- 
man nature consists not in self-sufficiency. The 
most exalted created beings neither exist, nor act 
independent of their Creator ; much less man, who 
in his primitive purity was made lower than the 
angels. J He stands in continual need of divine 
help ; and his true dignity consists in being, by his 
reason, above all inferior creatures, capable of con- 
sciously receiving that assistance, and of being 
thereby preferred to, and preserved in a blessed 
union and communion with his Maker. It cannot 

* Rom. viii. 2. t Phil. iii. 12, 13, 14. J Heb. ii. 7. 



46 THE ORIGINAL AND 

be any lessening to an inferior, to be directed and 
guided by a superior being ; especially by the su- 
preme Lord, and sole author of all existence, infi- 
nite in excellency, power and wisdom, and immu- 
table in glory. Endued with his spirit in any degree, 
the creature is raised above the highest elevation of 
its own nature ; and the more it is clothed with it, the 
more it is dignified and exalted. 

No created being, by its natural powers, can rise 
above its natural sphere. To reach a sublimer sta- 
tion, it must be assisted by strength superior to its 
own ; a power equal to the height of its ascent. It 
is only when the Sun of righteousness sheds forth 
its quickening beams upon the spirit of man, that 
the poor worm is capacitated in reality, to take wing 
and mount above its sublunary limits, towards the 
regions celestial. 

5. Some writers of the epicurean cast, have 
imagined it beneath the divine greatness, for the so- 
vereign Lord of all, to stoop so low as to make 
man a peculiar object of his notice and regard. 
To such as mistake those sure marks of degeneracy, 
pride and haughtiness, for greatness of soul, this 
may seem reasonable ; but in him to whom pride is 
an abomination,"^ and as distant from his similitude 
as darkness is to light, it cannot have any place. 
What it is not below him to create, it cannot be 
beneath him to regard, proportionally to the end 
he made it for ; and seeing man was created for a 

* Prov. xvi, 5. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 47 

purpose of his glory,* and to partake of his felicity, 
it would derogate from his wisdom and goodness, 
to suppose he should look upon it as below him to 
enable man to answer the great ends of his crea- 
tion ; which he could not by any means do, without 
a competent assistance from his Maker. Pride was 
the cause of the degeneracy of angels, and its natu- 
ral consequence is the destruction of peace and 
felicity to all that entertain it. By being something 
in our own conceit, attributing any good to our- 
selves, or aspiring above our place and due order, 
we centre in pride and arrogance. Created beings 
may be guilty of this ; but it is impossible to that all- 
perfect existence, who is infinite, omnipotent, and 
immuta-ble. 

This visible world demonstrates it was made by 
an Omnipotent Power, and is preserved by the 
same power. Without power it could not be made ; 
and as Thomas Sherlock justly observes, ^' That 
which owes its very being to power must depend 
upon the power that made it, for it can have no 
principle of self-subsistence independent on its 
cause, "t What doth not necessarily exist, must 
both be originally created, and continually upheld 
by the power that made it. It had no being before 
its creation. It cannot retain its being against the 
will of its Creator. Its existence and support 
stand equally in the power of its Maker ; without 
whom it was nothing, could never have existed, 

* Isa. xliii. 7. f I^iscourse on Providence. 



48 THEORIGINALAND 

nor can continue its existence. It was made by his 
power, is preserved by his power, and upon the 
withdrawment of his power would dissolve and 
evanish into its original nothing. There is no 
medium betwen self-existence and dependence on 
its cause ; therefore a cessation from it, of the 
power that made it, is annihilation to it. Thus, as 
all created things were made, and still subsist sole- 
ly by the energy of the Creator's will and power, 
he must necessarily, whilst they exist, be omnipre- 
sent with them, in them, and through them ; there- 
fore cannot be ignorant of any thing relating to 
them, nor unconcerned about them, or any part of 
them. 

The continual interposition and superintendence 
of the spirit of God, was always requisite to man, 
both to preserve him whilst in innocence, and to re- 
cover him from under his fallen estate, by govern- 
ing the effects of natural causes ; and to counteract 
the wiles, and oppose the influences of the evil 
spirit. Therefore the great Mediator for, and 
Redeemer of men, was from the beginning, not 
only incarnately and corporeally given for a pro- 
pitiation for the sins of the whole world, to be tes- 
tified, or verified, in due time ; but he was also as 
universally given, in a spiritual manner, to be a 
witness, a leader, and commander.* 1. He is 
spiritually given for a witness, to testify against sin 
in every breast, by his smitings there for evil con- 

* Isa. Iv. 4. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 49 

ceived or committed. 2. For a leader and com- 
mander, to such as pay due regard to his convic- 
tions, by turning from iniquity to him that smites 
them, and cleaving to him in that faith and love he 
produces in them. These he leads in a cross to all 
the corrupt nature, and empowers them to follow him 
in the regeneration. This is the true doctrinal cross 
of Christ. 



CHAPTER VI. 

1. Regeneration not only necessary, but really experienced by the pri- 
mitive Cliristi3.ns. 2. Paul's comprehensive description of this great 
work. It answers to the original work of creation, and is effected 
only by the Holy Spirit. 3. An objection against the sensibility of 
this work answered. 4. The same continued. 5. Who it is that dis- 
believes it. The renunciation of human reason not required, but the 
yielding it to an infallible instructor, in order to its rectification and 
improvement 

1. Now, man ! what is the great business of 
thy life in this world, but to regain thy place in the 
paradise of God ; to secure an everlasting establish- 
ment in that inheritance which is incorruptible, un- 
defiled, and fadeth not away?* To accomplish 
this, thou must be stripped of all that which unfits 
thee for an entrance. Whatever has been the 
cause of exclusion must be removed. Whatever 
can have no place nor habitation there, must be se- 
parated from thee, or thou canst not be admitted. 

* 1 Pet. i. 1. 



50 THE ORIGINAL AND 

That which lets will let till it be taken out of the 
way. Whatever thou hast in thee or about thee, 
that thou art attached to, in consequence of the fall, 
all separate self and the carnal mind, thou must re- 
sign, or thou canst never know a restoration. The 
gospel-axe, the power of the spirit of God, must be 
laid to the root of the tree of corruption in thee, 
that it may be extirpated, and the vine of life im- 
planted in its room ; that in the heart, where the 
sinful nature hath spread its poisonous produce, the 
engrafted word, which is able to regenerate and 
save the soul, may flourish, and bring forth its 
heavenly fruits;* from whence arise happiness to 
the creature, and praise to the eternal author of all 
virtue and felicity. 

The necessity of regeneration was not only 
preached to the people in the primitive times, but 
was actually experienced by the believers. A clear 
and pregnant instance we have in 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 
11, " Know ye not that the unrighteous* shall not 
inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived ; 
neither fornicators, not idolaters, nor adulterers, 
nor eflFeminate, nor abusers of themselves with man- 
kind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor 
revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom 
of God ; and such were some of you : but ye are 
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, 
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit 
of our God.'' Here the apostle plainly testifies, that 

* James i. 21. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 61 

some of the Corinthian brethren, who had been of 
polluted hearts and vicious lives, were become re- 
generated, made clean and holy ; and shows this 
great change in them was wrought in the name, or 
power of the Lord Jesus, which he explains to be, 
by the spirit of our God. The apostle Peter con- 
curs with Paul in bearing the like testimony. " See- 
ing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth 
through the spirit, unto unfeigned love of the bre- 
thren; see that ye love one another with a pure 
heart fervently ; being born again, not of corrupti- 
ble seed, but incorruptible, by the word of God, 
which liveth and abideth for ever.''* To the like 
purpose might be added Eph. ii. 5, 6. Col. i. 13 — 
ii. 10. 11, 12, 13— iii. 9, 10, with the 6th chapter of 
the epistle to the Romans, and many other texts. 

2. The apostle particularly shows the nature and 
manner of this work in Romans the viith and viiith ; 
which, for want of a real experience of, many have 
been led to imagine, were intended by him, as only 
descriptive of his own condition at the time he 
wrote them; yet it is manifest, they comprehend 
diverse, and even contrary conditions, which him- 
self and others had experienced in their Christian 
progress, and which it was impossible he should be 
in at one and the same time ; viz, a state of dark- 
ness, and a state of light; a state of uncleannesSj 
and a state of purity ; a state of bondage, and a 
state of liberty ; a state of life, and a state of death. 

* 1 Peter i. 22, 23. 



52 THE ORIGINAL AND 

Chapter vii. 5, he saith, "When we were in the 
flesh/* under the dominion of the carnal nature, " the 
motions of sins, which were** manifested "by the 
law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit 
unto death/* Here he refers back to that state of 
sin and death they had formerly been enthralled in, 
but were now past ; as fully appears by the succeed- 
ing verse, which saith, " But now we are delivered 
from the law, that being dead wherein we were 
held, that we should serve in newness of spirit, and 
not in the oldness of the letter.'* Yerse 7, he re- 
turns to the former state again, and becomes more 
particular. "I had not known sin,'* saith he, "but 
by the law.** Before he became sensibly convict- 
ed in his own conscience, where the sense of the 
law was opened to him, he remained in his first 
state of natural blindness ; yet knew it not to be 
such, notwithstanding his learned education, and 
legal strictness. Though dead as to any sense of 
divine life, yet he was alive in the spirit of the 
world. "For,** saith he, "I was alive without the 
law once ; but when the commandment came, sin 
revived and I died."* 

Opposed by the internal administration of the spiritual 
law, which brought conviction, the sinful nature was 
afresh excited by the powers of evil, and sprung up as 
with new life and vigour, to obstruct his escape from it ; 
" for without the law sin was dead.*'f That is, its na- 
ture remained quiet and undisturbed, enjoying its indul- 

* Rom. vii. 9. f Verse 8. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 53 

gence without interruption, till the law of life was 
administered against it. Then ''the commandment 
which w^as ordained to life, I found," by the resist- 
ance of that nature, '' to be unto death. For sin 
taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, 
and by it slew me,"* or, darkened me, and brought 
a sense of death over me. It seems to have de- 
ceived him at first into a belief that the law brought 
forth death, because he found a sense of death en- 
sue upon the convictions of this law ; but death is 
the fruit of sin, which is condemned by the law. 
For saith he, '' the law is holy, and the command- 
ment holy, just, and good. Was then that which 
is good made death unto me? God forbid. "f He 
found it was that which so violently opposed it that 
produced death, and occasioned the condemnation 
of the law to come upon him, w^hich discovered 
this death in him. This was permitted that sin might 
appear sin, and that by the convicting force of the 
commandment it might become exceeding sinful in 
his view, or be held by him in abhorrence. 

He then feelingly expresses the enthralled situation 
of this convicted, but unconverted state. '' The law 
is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin."| That 
is, he found himself as really in captivity under sin, 
as those are to their purchasers who are sold into 
slavery. ''For that which I do, I allow not."§ I 
am convinced it is evil, and would gladly be de- 
livered from it ; but notwithstanding my convictions, 

* Rom. vii. 10, 11. f ^^erse 12, 13. J Terse 14. | Verse 15. 
6* 



54 THE ORIGINAL AND 

am under its power, and unable to extricate mj^-self. 
'^ For the good that I would, I do not ; but the evil 
which I would not, that I do."* Yet, in patient sub- 
mission and fervent cleaving to God, some conso- 
lation attends this awakened condition; for, ^' If I 
do that I would not, it is no more 1 that do it, but 
sin that dwelleth in me. For I delight in the law of 
God after the inward man ; but I see another law'* 
or power '' in my members, warring against the law 
of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the 
law" or power ''of sin which is in my members. "f 
Thus prevented of what I love, and enthralled by 
what I hate, what a miserable slavery am I in ! 
^' 0, wretched man that I am ! Who shall deliver 
me from the body of this death?" J 

He then still personating one in this struggling 
situation, thanks God through Jesus Christ, for 
having brought him thus far on his Christian course 
and warfare, that he could will to do good, though 
yet unable actually to perform it.§ Hence he had 
a ground of thankfulness, in hope that he who had 
wrou2:ht the will in him, would also in due time 
perfect the deed by him. In conclusion, he pro- 
ceeds to show, though this had once been his con- 
dition, he now experienced perfect deliverance, 
from all the perplexing and afflicting circumstances 
of this, and the several exercising states he had for- 
merly passed through, and had just been giving so 
lively a description of. ''There is therefore," saith 

^ Rom. vii. 19. f Verse 20, 21, 22, 23. 

X Verse 24. J Verse 25. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 55 

he, "now no condemnation to them which are in 
Christ Jesus/' as he then certainly was, "who walk 
not after the flesh, but after the spirit: For the law 
of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath set me free 
from the law of sin and death."* This again testi- 
fies his deliverance, and answers to that first cited, 
"Now we are delivered from the law," which con- 
demneth for sin; "that," sinful nature, "being dead 
wherein we were held, that we should serve in 
newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the let- 
ter, "f With these accords that of Colos. i. 12, 13. 
" Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us 
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints 
in light : Who hath delivered us from the power of 
darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom 
of his dear Son." 

In the passages above cited from Rom. vii. and 
viii. the experienced apostle evidently includes a 
representation of three very different conditions, 
in their course of progression and state of disparity 
from each other. First, a natural blind unconvict- 
ed state ; which is that of darkness and death, J an- 
swering to the original chaos before light was 
brought forth. Second, a state of illumination and 
discovery, of conviction and internal warfare, in 
order to a complete conversion ; which partakes of 
a mixture, and shows light and darkness in the act 
of separation, like that in Gen. i. 3^ 4, 5. Third, a 
state of redemption from the power of sin, through 

* Rom. viii. 1, 2. f Chap. vii. 6. J Gen. i. 2. 



56 THE OEIGINALAND 

purification, and a translation into the spiritual king- 
dom of Christ ; which is the state of the perfect 
Christian, and completes the new creation, wherein 
every thing takes its due place, and moves in its 
proper order. I now refer it to the intelligent read- 
er, whether it is not an absurdity to imagine, that 
these three diverse, and in some respects contrary 
states, should all subsist together at the same time 
in the same subject. 

By this representation, which contains a brief 
and comprehensive delineation of the work of the 
new-birth, the apostle shows to such as are young 
in the faith, what different states they have to pass 
through in that preparatory travel ; and also re- 
minds the regenerate of what they have witnessed, 
in the lines of his own experience. He describes 
the various steps, and principal leadings of the holy 
spirit, till by its effectual operation the soul is ren- 
dered a new creature, and introduced into the king- 
dom of God ; which being inward and spiritual, is 
entered by an inward and spiritual way. Hence it is 
clear, a man may acquire all the learning, and re- 
ceive all the degrees that schools and colleges can 
bestow, with all the authority men can afford him, 
and may be strict in the practice of all the forms 
and exteriors of religion; and yet remain the natu- 
ral man still. These can bring him no nearer to 
true regeneration, than he was the moment of his 
birth ; for the new-birth is the work of the holy 
Bpii'it only. Nothing but the spirit of holiness can 



PRESENT ST ATE OF MAN. 57 

make a man holy ; for nothing can communicate 
what it hath not. Nothing can set men free from 
the power of sin and its wages, death, but the law 
or power of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, indi- 
vidually administered. This, which turneth sinners 
into saints by a real purgation, and renders them, 
as to their inward state, new creatures, remains to 
be their light and leader, and the primary guide of 
their life and conduct, by its immediate manifesta- 
tions in the heart ; whereby it frequently brings 
scripture-truths to their remembrance, and opens the 
sense of them profitably to their understandings, at 
the same time influencing the mind to a practice 
answerable. 

3. Evident as it is, that the apostle, in the fore- 
going scriptures, describes divers changes of con- 
dition, which through the operation and effect of 
the holy spirit, he had certainly known and sensi- 
bly felt ; yet some have appeared, even amongst 
the leaders of the people, who acknowledge, 
" The influence of God's spirit enables us to render 
him an acceptable service,'' but assert, that it is in 
a way imperceptible to us ; that the sacred writings 
are utterly silent concerning any sensible demon- 
strations of its workings within us ; that they can- 
not be distinguished from the efforts of our own 
reason ; that all pretences to it are suggested by an 
enthusiastic or distempered fancy ; and that there 
never was a Christian with a cool head, and a 
sound judgment, that in any instance of a change 



58 THE ORIGINAL AND 

of life, would presume to say, which part of his re« 
formation was owing to divine help. 

The truly sound reformed Christian knows and ac- 
knowledges, every part of his reformation is owing 
to divine help ; and whoever propagate the above- 
cited anti-scriptural doctrine, demonstrate their ig- 
norance of true regeneration, and that their wisdom 
is but the superficial wisdom of words ; which can 
only enable them to make a show of knowledge, by 
talking about the things of God, without any right 
understanding of them. The pomp of science, and 
the flourish of eloquence, have no more alliance to 
truth than the pride of life. They belong to the wis- 
dom of this world, by which God is not to be known ; 
'' For the world by wisdom knew not God, nor 
the things of God."* All the knowledge of the na- 
tural man, the man whose nature remains un- 
changed, whether called Pagan, Jew, or Christian, 
and whether it be styled philosophy or divinity, is 
but the inefi'ectual ideal wisdom of this world : the 
vaunting head-knowdedge. It is not the wisdom 
from above, by which alone God and the things of 
God are to be known, that is, experienced. These 
are out of the reach of arts, languages, and 
sciences ; and are discovered only by the manifes- 
tation of the spirit of Christ in the heart. ''In 
whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and 
knowledge, "t Yet though the world, by all its ad- 
mired and celebrated wisdom, knows not God, there 

* 1 Cor. i. 21. Ibid ii. 11. t Col. ii. 3. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 59 

is a wisdom communicated by which he is known 
^'For God," saith holy writ, '^ who commanded 
the light to shine out of darkness, hath shinecj 
in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge 
of the glory of God in the face" or inward appear- 
ance *'of Jesus Christ,"* The apostle adds, '^We 
have this treasure in earthen vessels ;" we enjoy it 
now whilst in these bodies of clay, ''that the excel- 
lency of the power may be of God, and not of us." 

This luminous and excellent power operates upon 
the humble thankful acceptor, so as to open an un- 
derstanding of what he reads, both in scripture and 
other experimental writings ; often giving him to 
feel that concerning which he reads, and rendering 
it of improving effect to him. But he who rejects 
the means can never attair the end. He who re- 
fuses or flies from the light of life, when it offers it- 
self to him by reproof and conviction ; not believing 
it to be of God, nor receiving it as such, stops its 
operation, prevents it from opening itself to him, 
and enlarging in him. For the unbelieving heart 
shuts up its own way,t and therefore remains in- 
sensible of the internal power of the Saviour. 

4. What man upon earth can say, he has not 
had convictions ? Or, that he has had them with- 
out any sense of them? Who could have a sense 
of them, and not distinguish it from the efforts 
of his own reason ; not distinguish the reprover from 
the reproved? Unfelt convictions are impossibili- 

♦ Cor. iv. 6, 7. t Mat xiii. 58. Mark vi. 5,6. 



60 THEOEIGINALANB 

ties. In what manner is the work of renovation 
known, without any perception of it in its pro- 
gress ? Did the apostle Paul so pathetically de- 
scribe the painful states he had travelled through, 
and the opposite powers engaged within him, 
without ever having a certain sense of them ? Or 
is the coolness of his head, and the soundness of 
his judgment now to be arraigned ; and are his 
Christian experiences to be treated only as the is- 
sues of an enthusiastic or distempered fancy ? 

How could any witness repentance unto life, re- 
mission of sins, and the times of refreshing from 
the presence of the Lord, without an inward sense 
of them ? Were all the cries, the pantings and 
thirstings after the Divine presence, uttered by the 
sacred writers, without a sense of that want ; and 
were all their triumphant rejoicings in the consola- 
tion of his presence, expressed under a total insem 
sibility of it ? Were the kindiy fruits of the spirit, 
and the comforts of the Holy Ghost unfelt by those 
who enjoyed them ? Who can affirm these ab- 
surdities ? Where can such blind leaders bring 
their blind followers to ? Those who turn their 
backs on the light must walk in darkness. It is the 
sole property of the spirit of Christ, the light of 
men, to make true discoveries to the mind, both re- 
specting itself and every thing else that concerns it. 
Hence he is rightly styled the Sun of righteousness; 
the same thing to the soul of man, that the sun in 
the firmament is to his body. The one is the light 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 61 

without, the other the light within : and therefore is 
properly so denominated. 

5. It is the unbelieving unrenewed man, unac- 
quainted with the effectual operation of this heaven- 
ly principle, that unwillingly rejects and disparages 
it, and thereby contributes to keep both himself and 
others in blindness concerning it, and prejudice against 
it. ''The natural man," saith the apostle, "receiveth 
not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolish- 
ness unto him; neither can he know them, because 
they are spiritually discerned.''* 

What ! saith the mighty man of reason, must I 
put out my eyes in order to see ? Must I lay aside 
and renounce my reason, to obtain a better under- 
standing ? It is impossible, absurd, and preposterous. 
Very true, and it is equally true, that no such ab- 
surdity is required. It is neither right reason, nor 
the proper use of man's reason, that is objected to 
and advised against. For right reason is truth, 
and is ever correspondent with the inward motions 
of the spirit of truth ; and man's rational faculty is 
what renders him capable of receiving Divine in- 
fluence and instruction, without which it is impos- 
sible to conceive he could be a fit subject for it ; and 
was his reason in such a perfect state as to merit 
the name of right reason, he would not stand in 
such absolute need of it. But it evidently appears, 
from the various biasses and prepossessions men are 
generally under, the weakness and mutability of 

* 1 Cor. ii. 14. 



62 THE OmaiNAL AND 

their understandings, and the innumerable and ir- 
reconcilable differences amongst them, especially 
the learned and leading part of mankind, that hu- 
man reason is far from being always agreeable to 
right reason, which is imchangeably true. What 
is cautioned against therefore, is the setting up hu- 
man reason above its due place in religion, making 
it the leader instead of the follower of revelation, the 
teacher instead of the learner ; and esteeming it vested 
with a kind of self-sufficiency, independent of the 
direction and help of God's holy spirit. 

We are not required to lay aside our understand- 
ings, either in order to, or under the influences of 
the spirit ; but, as prudent and docile scholars, to 
submit them to the necessary instruction and im- 
provement of that infallible Master of infinite wis- 
dom and knowledge, who is the universal teacher 
of his people;* that we may be enabled rightly to 
obey and worship him Avith the spirit, and Avith the 
understanding also.f The spirit of God and a right 
understanding must infallibly concur. 

As the light of the sun is so agreeably dispensed 
by the sovereign wisdom, that it doth not put out or 
blind men's eyes, but assist to the proper use of 
them ; so the Divine illumination and influence is 
administered by the same wisdom, in such due de- 
grees, that it neither banishes man's reason, nor 
deprives it of its utility; but restores it to its full 

^ Isa. liv. 13. Jer. xxxi. 34. John vi. 45. Heb. viii, 10, 
11. and X. 16. f 1 Cor. xiv. 15. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 63 

and proper use in religion, by dispelling the fogs of 
prejudice and passion, giving it a clear sense of 
duty, and fiirnishing ability to perform it. The holy 
men of God were not deprived of their understand- 
ings, when they spoke and wrote as they were 
moved by the Holy Ghost,* but found them illumi- 
nated and highly improved by it. They were not 
used by the spirit as senseless machines, nor remain- 
ed as vegetables, imperceptive of the virtue arising 
in, and enlarging them. Their faculties were bright- 
ened, and raised to a higher pitch of usefulness, than 
could ever have been reached by them whilst unassisted 
by the power of Divine grace. With good reason, 
therefore, hath one of the inspired writers given this 
necessary exhortation; ''Trust in the Lord with all 
thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understand- 
ing."t And he further saith, " He that trusteth in 
his own heart, is a fool. ''J 

* 1 Pet. i. 21. t Pi'ov. iii. 5. J Ibid, xxviii. 26. 



64 THE ORIGINAL AND 



CHAPTER VII. i 

1. Whence true religion ariseth 2. How God is to be known according 
to the new covenant. Of whom the body or church of Christ is com- 
posed, and the life it enjoys. 3. Whence this life is received. 4. That 
which brings forth the new-birth must maintain it. 5. True religion 
always essentially the same. Exterior institutions only super-addi- 
tions to lead the darkened and degenerate towards it. 6. Man has no 
pretensions to merit, but through faithfulness, is graciously allowed a 
filial claim. 7. The nature of God's covenants with man. 



1. Notwithstanding too many are taught to ima- 
gine importance and efficacy, in mode, ceremony, 
sign and shadow, the mint, anise, and cummin of the 
legal dispensation ; yet it is certain, that in '' Jesus 
Christ, neither circumcision avail eth any thing, nor 
uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love."* 
Neither the practice, nor disuse of forms and ritu- 
als, are of any availance with God. But the first 
may more than unprofitably busy their practisers, if 
they are so dangerously deceived as to place confi- 
dence either in their own performances, or those of 
their leaders. The religion of the true Christian 
consisteth not in form, but substance ; and ariseth 
not from the activity of human reason, imagination, 
or opinion, but from an heart-felt sensation of Divine 
love in the light of life. Its foundation is no less 
than the immediate administration of God's holy 
spirit to the spirit of man. This shows unto man 

* Gal. V. 6. 



PRESENT STA-^F OF MAN. 65 

what his thoughts are ;* what himself, and what the 
Lord is, so far as properly concerns him. It opens 
the understanding and directs the duty of the obe- 
dient ; '' for the way of man is not in himself ; it is 
not in man that walketh to direct his steps, "f It is 
the light of the Lamb which showeth the way of sal- 
vation ; the one great light appointed to rule the day 
or spiritual dispensation of Christianity ; wherein 
the nations of them which are saved must walk. J 

2. Men in their natural state may, by reading 
and study, collect abundance of notions concerning 
the Supreme Being ; but as light discovers all things, 
yet cannot be really known but by its own appear- 
ance ; so God, who, in the most perfect and super- 
lative sense, is light, § can only be truly known by 
his own immediate m.anifestation. What is ordina- 
rily called the knowledge of God,|| is but a series of 
apprehensions concerning his essence, his attributes, 
and his providence ; but what our Saviour called so, 
is the real experimental sense of his life. "This is 
life eternal, that they might know thee the only true 
God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Truly 
to know him is to participate of the quickening 
sense of his life, through the communicated influ- 
ence of his eternal spirit. Thus to know him, is to 
partake of the new covenant, or true gospel dispen- 
sation ; for therein it is declared, " They shall all 
know me, from the least of them to the greatest of 

* Amos iv. 13. f Jer. x. 23. t I^ev. xxi. 14. 

J 1 John i. 5. II John xvii. 3. 

6* 



^Q THE ORIGINAL AND 

them."* Accordingly the living Christian has a cer- 
tain sense of Divine life in his own breast, which af- 
fords him instruction, strength and comfort ; in such 
a manner, as he waits in faithfulness upon it, that 
he is under no absolute necessity to lean upon the 
teachings of other men ; yet when they come in a 
degree of the same life, he accepts them as instru- 
mentally from God. 

This life of God in Christ is the very soul of Chris- 
tianity; without which the best forms and highest 
professions are but as members of a dead body, un- 
available and unacceptable. " He that hath the Son 
hath life, and li^ that hath not the son of God hath 
not life."t ''Because I live," saith he, ''ye shall 
live also. At that day, ye shall know, that I am in 
my Father, and you in me, and I in you. "J It is 
because he lives in, and communicates of his life to 
his spiritual followers, that they live also. Of these 
the true church, the adopted body of Christ under 
all denominations, is composed. These alone are 
his peculiar heritage or clergy. This ecclesiastical 
body of Christ, is a living body, rendered such by 
the inspiration of his life. He is the life common to 
all his true members. § By his vital influence he 
communicates a living sense of truth to them, in- 
clines them to himself, and inspires them both with 
the desire and power of obedience ; and as they ad- 
vance in faithfulness, he favours them with in- 
creasing tastes of Divine grace and love, the sa- 

^ Jer. xxxi. 34. t 1 John v. 12. 

t John xiv. 19, 20. ? Col. iii. 4. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 67 

vour of the holy unction^ and the indwelling virtue 
and glory of his heavenly presence. " There is one 
body, and one spirit.'*"^ Was there not one and the 
same spirit throughout the whole church, it could 
not be one body, nor a living body. ^'Non potest 
vivere corpus Christi nisi de spiritu Christi,"t saith 
Augustine ; that is the body of Christ cannot live 
but by the spirit of Christ. He who partakes not 
of the same spirit with the head, is no true mem- 
ber of the body. His spiritual influence is the pre- 
cious blood, or spring of life which renders all his 
members living, and what gives life gives a sense of 
that life ; but though their life is most surely known 
to themselves, it is hid with Christ in God,;{; from the 
knowledge of those who remain unquickened by it; 
and hence ariseth all their opposition to it. 

3. We are all by nature strangers to this Divine 
life, and we cannot by any means obtain it for our- 
selves. It is not of man's acquirement, but God's 
communication ; and as far out of the reach of the 
most learned, as of the most illiterate. It is hid 
from the wise and prudent, in their own eyes, and 
revealed to those who are as babes, to the world's 
wisdom. It is not the high learned, but the humble 
that God teaches, and the meek that he guides in 
the paths of truth and judgment. Every one's eye 
therefore ought to be humbly to God alone, and not 
to be fixed upon the wise, the scribe, the disputer of 
this world ; for God hath, by the powerful simpli- 

* Eph. iv. 4. t In Joh. Tract 26. J Col. iii. 3. 



68 THE ORIGINAL AND 

city and purity of his gospel dispensation, made 
foolish the wisdom of this world.* Yet so fond is 
the world of its own wisdom, that it has in great 
measure detruded the cross of Christ, and true spi- 
ritual religion, and erected and supported this idol 
in its room. After this image the world has won- 
dered ; and indeed it hath been a means wonder- 
fully to blind, ensnare and deceive its worshippers, 
whose faith stands in the wisdom of men, and not 
in the power of God,t and is therefore the reverse 
of the faith of the gospel. 

4. From a due consideration of the debased and 
corrupt state of mankind, since the fall, and of the 
great and good end of their creation, it must evi- 
dently appear, that regeneration hath ever been the 
one thing needful ; a work essential for all to ex- 
perience. And as the birth of the spirit cannot be 
brought forth by any thing but the spirit, so it must 
also be preserved in its growth and accomplishment 
by the spirit. Hence the abiding, or indwelling of 
the spirit, remains to be of absolute necessity to the 
regenerate ; that as their souls are quickened into 
the Divine life by it, they may continue to live, 
move, and have their being as Christians therein, 
and be sustained in a spiritual union, and blessed 
communion with their Maker. 

5. The essentiality of true religion hath ever been 
the same, primarily consisting in the life of God 
being raised up, and the love of God shed abroad 



* 1 Cor. i. 20 Cor. ii. 5. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 69 

in the heart, operating therein to its renovation, and 
to every virtuous and benevolent end. Whatever 
of externals or ceremonials have, at sundry times, 
been super-added by Divine direction or command, 
were not intended to alter, or unsettle men from due 
and constant attention to vital, spiritual religion ; 
but when they were become greatly degenerated 
from it, and darkened concerning it, the merciful 
Creator was pleased, by means suited to their es- 
tranged and carnal condition, to point it out to 
them, and lead them by signs and symbols towards 
it. Thus the Mosaic law was not meant to be the 
whole of religion to the Israelites,* or to supersede 
the internal religion of grace ; but only to be as a 
schoolmaster to bring them to Christ in spirit, in 
whom all is included and fulfilled, and whose pre- 
sence was then with the faithful amongst them, who 
had spiritual communion with him ; for, according 
to scripture, ''they did all eat the same spiritual 
meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink ; for 
they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them ; 
and that rock was Christ. "f 

It is a vain thing to imagine, that religion ever 
wholly consisted in mode or form ; or that the all- 
perfect Lord at any time dispensed with the sub- 
stance for the sake of the shadow; ever made any 
alteration therein, by diversity of institutions, from 
arbitrary will and pleasure, merely to exercise his 
sovereignty, as though power was a darling attri- 

* Gal. ill. 24. t 1 Cor. x. 3, 4. 



70 THE ORIGINAL AND 

bute, and more regarded by bim tlian wisdom, 
righteousness, and o:oodness ; or as though his at- 
tributes could be divided in him. No ; he is God 
and changeth not. His law is his own spirit of eter- 
nal rectitude, and his retribution according to every 
man^s state and w^orks. The different modifications 
that have appeared amongst men in point of reli- 
gion, have been occasioned by the different alte- 
rations in the conditions of mankind. The all- 
wise God hath directed some for a time, in con- 
descension, for the good end above-mentioned; 
and divers combinations of men have invented and 
enjoined abundance more, according to their own 
carnal misapprehensions of spiritual things, or to 
advance their own sinister purposes. 

Exterior forms are but temporary matters. They 
are no essentials of true Christianity. The great 
author of it represents it as a well of water in man 
springing up into everlasting life."^ It radically ariseth 
from a living, abiding, increasing principle in man, 
of a pure, spiritual and heavenly nature. As this is 
cordially embraced, it enlarges in the soul, expels 
the works and power of darkness, and produceth its 
own genuine fruits of humility, self-denial, patience, 
resignation to God, and trust in him alone; righte- 
ousness, holiness, meekness; gentleness, tempe- 
rance, gODdness, brotherly-kindness, charity. It de- 
rives its origin from heaven, and leads to heaven. 
It carries the soul out of all formalities and false 



* John iv. 14. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 71 

rests, up to the Supreme good himself. It breiiks 
down all our own self-will, and brings into perfect 
resignation to the Divine will. In this humble con- 
trited frame, and no other, can we sincerely and 
truly say, thy kingdom come ! thy will be done ! For 
whilst our wills stand in separation from the will of 
God, we cannot address him in these terms with 
propriety ; or in spirit and truth. 

6. The pride of man is naturally averse to this 
abased and broken situation. It knows not how to 
submit to be, or to think itself, nothing ; though it 
is worse than nothing. It would fain erect and 
plume itself upon some importance, some estima- 
tion, or deserving of its own ; yet all its pretences 
to merit are false and vain. Man being nothing as 
such, but what God has made him, and possessing 
nothing but what he affords him, is wholly God's, 
and not his own ; and is therefore in duty bound to 
walk in obedience to him, every moment of his life, 
which is given him for that end. And seeing man 
has fallen short of his duty, and hath sinned against 
his sovereign by disobedience, it is neither in his 
power, by any thing he can perform, to merit 
heaven, nor to purchase remission for himself. He 
can neither undo what he has misdone, nor render 
to his Maker an equivalent for the trespasses he 
hath committed against him. But such is the mer- 
ciful goodness, and free grace of God towards his 
helpless creatures, that he offers both forgiveness 
and felicity upon the most reasonable terms of re- 



72 THE ORIGINAL A ^ B 

pentance and amendment. To the willing and obe 
dient, to him who is faithful unto death, to him. that 
overcometh, through divine assistance, are the 
promises of eternal life. Upon the foundation of 
these free and voluntary offers of the divine good- 
ness, and man's compliance with the conditions, 
stands his title. '^Blessed are they that do his 
commandments, that they may have right to the 
tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into 
the city."* 

7. The laws and requisitions of God to man are 
in scripture often styled covenants. Not meaning 
that man has personally bound himself, on his part 
to perform the conditions, but that he is really in 
duty as deeply obliged, and as firmly bound to do 
the will of his Creator, as if he had voluntarily 
bound himself in the strongest obligations possible. 
The reason is, man owes his very being, and all 
the good he receives, spiritual and temporal, to his 
Maker, to whom he stands indebted for all, and 
who therefore hath an unquestionable right to claim 
all affection, gratitude, and obedience from him • 
and more especially as it is all for his own everlast- 
ing advantage. There is also an internal spiritual 
covenant, a Divine connection, which the heart of 
man feels, in his faithfulness to his Creator. The 
spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which sets free from 
the bonds of sin and death, and unites the soul to 
its Saviour, in the powerful covenant of Divine love. 

* Rev. xxii. 14. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 73 

By this, through faith, it becomes engrafted into 
Christ; and by obedience it remains in him as a 
branch in the vine ; or is incorporated with him as 
its head ; for " he that is joined unto the Lord is one 
spirit"* Of this vital union regenerate souls have 
a certain sense, in proportion to their progress. 
'^ Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in 
us, because he hath given us of his spirit."f — 
" Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the 
spirit which he hath given us/ 'J Hence it is clear, 
that the gift of the spirit communicates this intelli- 
gence. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

1. Religion the same both to the learned and unlearned. — The Holy 
Spirit requisite to every man, as the universal reformer. 2. It was 
such to the Israelites, and, 3. The best part of their Divine legation. 

4. Why statutes of an outward and temporary nature were added. 

5. They are taught to look through them to Christ, of whose spirit 
they partook. 6. But it was not dispensed to them in that degree of 
purity and splendour with which it broke forth at the Christian asra. 
7. How this was witnessed to by the law. 8. How by the Prophets. 
9. The spirit was in all ages administered, and the truly humble fa- 
voured with its indwelling. 

1. Religion here, and salvation hereafter, are as 
much the concern and duty of the illiterate and 
ignorant, as of the wise and learned. And as those 

* 1 Cor. vi. 17. t 1 John iv. 13. t 1 John iii. 24. 

7 



74 THEORIGINALANB 

are by much the greater number, religious duty 
must undoubtedly consist in something equally at- 
tainable and practicable by all ; for God is no re- 
specter of persons. It cannot lie essentially in 
literal knowledge, nor in any peculiar mode of 
education ; for these are the lot of few, in compa- 
rison of the whole of mankind. Happiness being 
the end of man's creation, and the universal indis- 
pensable concern of every man, the effective means 
of regeneration and salvation must be attainable by 
every man. Nothing but the omnipresent and all- 
effective spirit of God can be this means ; for no- 
thing else is universal, nor any way adequate to 
the work. The spirit of God therefore, being neces- 
sary to every man, is afforded to every man, by 
him w^ho withholds nothing necessary. 

This holy operative spirit, Solomon, under its 
influence, wdth great propriety, styles wisdom, and 
represents it, in familiar language, as calling upon 
mankind, to turn at its reproofs,* with a promise, to 
pour out its spirit unto them. He also impleads 
those as fools who reject or slight its reproofs or 
convictions in their consciences ; by which he 
shows, it accompanies them even in the streets and 
places of concourse. f Recounting the great works 
of this spirit of wisdom, he elsewhere testifies, " She 
preserved the first formed father of the world, that 
was created alone, and brought him out of his fall.' 'J 
She was not only his preserver before his fall, but 

* Prov. i. t Verse 20, 21. J Wisd. x. 1. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 75 

Ins re-quickener and restorer out of that death, he 
through transgression fell into ; and seeing the 
whole rational progeny of Adam are naturally un- 
der the like necessity of being born of the spirit, 
its administration is offered to all, in due degrees ; 
and every individual in all ages, who has experi- 
enced the new birth, by which right reformation is 
wrought, have known it to be effected by the ope- 
ration of the spirit. This the wise author above 
cited witnesseth, in his acknowledgement to Al- 
mighty goodness ; when he saith, " Thy council 
who hath known, except thou give wisdom, and 
send thy Holy Spirit from above ? For so the ways 
of them who lived on the earth were reformed, and 
men were taught the things that are pleasing unto 
thee, and were saved through wisdom."* 

2. Evident tokens of internal religion, and the 
immediate manifestations of the spirit for that end, 
appear throughout both the Old Testament and the 
New. Before the flood, the old world was favoured 
with the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, as is 
implied in Gen. vi. 3. " My spirit shall not always 
strive with," or rather in, " man," for so Hebrew 
scholars say it ought to be rendered. And indeed, 
where could the spirit so properly strive as in the soul 
of man, where the seat of corruption is, and to which 
the suggestions of evil are applied? And to what 
end should it strive with them, but to bring them to 
repentance and reformation, and to become, through 

* Wisd. ix. 17, 18. 



76 THE ORIGINAL AND 

their obedience, the kingdom, or ruling power of 
God in them. 

Renovation of heart by the Holy Spirit and its 
genuine fruits of repentance towards God, faith in 
him, and obedience to him, were the principal and 
essential part of religion also among the Israelites. 
Duet. XXX. 10. Moses represents the conditions on 
the performance of which they should be entitled to 
the promises. '^ If thou shalt hearken unto the voice 
of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments 
and his statutes, which are written in this book of 
the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God, 
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul/' These 
are the terms ; first, that they should keep the law ; 
this was the external and legal part of their duty. 
Second, that they should turn their whole hearts 
and souls to God ; this was the internal and evan- 
gelical part. He leaves them not here in a state of 
uncertainty, but proceeds to show them to what 
their inward attention should be turned. ''For," 
saith he, ''this commandment which I command 
thee this day," or this which I command thee to 
turn thine heart unto, " is not hidden from thee, 
neither is it far off. It is not in heaven that thou 
shouldst say, who shall go up for us to heaven, and 
bring it unto us, that we may hear it and do it ! 
Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldst say, 
who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto 
us, that we may hear it and do it, but the word is 
very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 77 

that thou mayest do it."* The apostle assumes and 
explains this passage, Rom. x. 6, 7, 8. ''The right- 
eousness Avhich is of faith speaketh on this wise, 
*' Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into 
heaven ? that is to bring Christ down from above. 
Or, who shall descend into the deep ? that is to 
bring up Christ again from the dead. But what 
saith it ? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth 
and in thy heart. That is, the word of faith which 
we preach." 

By this explanation of the apostle it appears ; 1st. 
That, besides the law, Moses then preached to Israel 
the same word of faith, which himself and his evan- 
gelical brethren did. 2d. That this word is Christ 
in spirit, calling for attention and obedience in the 
heart, or conscience of man, in order to effect his 
restoration and salvation. 3d. This is not a local, or 
temporary, but an inward visitation of the Saviour of 
mankind, by his spirit in the heart. 

The word of faith is the word of truth, the word 
of the everlasting gospel ; and not a composition of 
letters. The term word, like many other words, is 
used in various senses ; as a speech or saying, an 
engagement, a report, a command, an exhortation, 
an instruction, &c., because these are composed of 
words. And as men use to convey their sense to 
one another by words, so God conveys his to men 
by Christ, w^ho is peculiarly and emphatically styled 
in scripture the word of God ;t and as the way men 

* Wis. ix. 11, &c. t John 1, and Rev. xix. 13. 

7* 



78 TfiE ORIGINAL AND 

receive words from the mouths of one another is 
by hearing, so the manner by which the soul re- 
ceives internal instructing, reproof, &c., from the 
Holy Spirit, is metaphorically called hearing. Thus 
faith, which is the gift of God, is said to come by 
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.* That is, 
I apprehend, the internal sense itself is opened in the 
soul, as well as subjects communicated by the spirit 
of Christ. 

3. Hence we see, the Divine legation to the Jews, 
consisted not in the outward written law only. Nor 
were they kept in ignorance of inward spiritual re- 
ligion, or of a future state of rewards and punish- 
ments. For, if so, to w^hat purpose did Moses 
press the consideration of their latter end upon them 
with so much fervency? ''0 that they were wise, 
that they understood this, that they would consider 
their latter end !"t What material consideration 
should their latter end, or time of death, be of, to 
such as knew no better but that it would be the 
period of their existence ? Or, why should he com- 
mand their attention to the living word of faith, 
Christ in the heart, as well as to the written code ? 
He was an eminently inspired prophet, and well 
knew that salvation is by Christ alone ; and that his 
inward spiritual law is as preferable to the exterior 
one, as the substance is to the shadow. Obedience 
to the outward temnoral law, had outward and tem- 
poral promises ; but obedience to the inward spiritual 

* Rom. X. 17. t Deut. xxxii. 29. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 79 

law hath promises of an internal and eternal na- 
ture. By the works of the first no man could be 
justified ; but by the operation of the last, sancti- 
fication is wrought, and salvation experienced. 
Moses was a type of Christ, and the temporal law 
with its temporal rewards, a type of the law of the 
spirit of life in Christ Jesus, and its eternal recom- 
pense. 

4. But it may be queried, if the spiritual law was 
always afforded, what occasion was there for the , 
addition of temporal statutes ? Answ. The Israel- 
ites by living under servitude to a most superstitious 
and idolatrous people, were become prone to saper- 
stition and idolatry themselves ; '' They were ming- 
led among the heathen," saith the Psalmist, ''and 
learned their works ; and they served their idols, 
which were a snare unto them.""^ Out of this idola- 
try they were to be brought, and by their obedience 
to the only true God, were to become an example 
to the nations round them, to influence their return 
likewise. Though all had the word nigh in the 
heart, yet having lost the right sense of what it is, 
the law was added because of their transgression 
and corruption, till the coming of Christ in the 
fleshf 

Seeing their habitual attachment to the forms and 
superstitions of paganism, was too strong to admit 
of their being willingly and clearly brought out of 
them at once, divine wisdom condescended to meet 

* Psal. cvi. 35, 36, t Gal iii. 19. 



80 THEOKIGINALAND 

them in the state they were in, and to proceed 
gradually with them, by allowing them some forms 
and ceremonies like to 'those they had been inured 
to ; but more regular and significant. The Su- 
preme Lord of the universe first observes to them ; 
" I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee 
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bond- 
age ;" and then commands, '' Thou shalt have no 
other gods before me."* Thus he draws their at- 
tention off from the idols of the heathen, and places 
it wholly upon himself, as the sole object of their 
adoration and obedience. And to give one instance 
for all ; as the heathens, whose manners they had 
imbibed, were accustomed to swear by their false 
gods, he did not see fit to prohibit all solemn oaths 
at once, but confined them to swear by himself 
alone, exclusive of the pagan idols ; not requiring 
the perfect practice of the Christian precept, swear 
not at all, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by 
any other oath, of them, whilst not in a Christian 
state, nor under its clear dispensation ; but only 
entering them into the path appointed for them to- 
wards it, and to prepare the way for its establish- 
ment. Thus he made the law a temporary expe- 
dient, to bring them gradually towards the practice 
of that perfect religion he intended in due season 
to introduce, and to set up in its purity, for all men 
to come into, and to walk in. 

5. In the mean time, the sovereign wisdom was 

"^ Exod. XX. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 81 

pleased to sound an alarm, and set up an ensign to 
the rest of mankind, amongst the descendants of 
Israel. He wrought wonders for their deliverance 
and support ; and, besides many excellent moral 
precepts, dispensed to them a form of know^ledge 
and of the truth in the law;* symbolically denoting 
the nature and manner of redemption and salvation 
through his Son, by many significant types, allego- 
ries, and similitudes, accommodated to the religious 
modes and apprehensions they had espoused ; 
which, though semblances of a distant, because of 
an exterior kind, yet were intended, and wisely 
adapted, to be to the superstitiously disposed, as a 
schoolmasterf to lead them gradually to Christ. 
That is, to the knowledge of Christ ; then to come 
outwardly as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of 
mankind, and also to the knowledge of Christ 
within, the hope of glory, as the actual sanctifier 
and Saviour of men. For though they were all bap- 
tized unto Moses in the cloud, J or dipped into his 
exterior dispensation as under a veil ; yet the spirit- 
ually-minded amongst them, were enabled to pene- 
trate through the veil to the internal reality, and 
^'did,'' as before observed, ''all eat the same spirit- 
ual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink ; 
for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed 
them, and that rock was Christ. "§ 

Still further to assist thqm. Divine goodness, at 
times, inspired divers of the most regenerate, and 

^ Rom. ii. 20. f Gal. iii. 24. 

} 1 Cor. X. 2. il Cor. x. 2, 3, 4. 



82 THE ORIGINAL AND ^ 

most devoted of both sexes with the spirit of pro- 
phecy ; and engaged them to preach the necessity 
of righteousness and holiness to them : and to direct 
their view, through the figures and outward simili- 
tudes of the ceremonial law, to the truth signified 
by them, and plainly to instruct them in, and exhort 
them to inward and spiritual religion ; which was 
the ultimate intent of the Mosaic, and every other 
dispensation of God to mankind. For the rituals of 
the law were not intended to supersede but to serve 
as an index to the law of the spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus. 

6. I do not apprehend, that the mystery of godli- 
ness, and its internal life and virtue, was ever intend- 
ed by Divine wisdom to be concealed from mankind ; 
but was always held forth, though sometimes ob- 
scurely under typical forms ; on account of the 
number of degenerate minds, who were too much 
prepossessed and darkened, to behold the splendour 
of the gospel in its clear manifestation. For, 
throughout all generations, to as many as rightly 
received Christ, he gave power to become the sons 
of God ;* yet the spiritual powerful gospel of our 
Lord, was not so publicly promulgated, without 
some kind of ceremonial shadows, till the full dis- 
play of the Christian dispensation, at the time of the 
Jewish feast of Pentecost : when the disciples, wait- 
ing together in obedience to the command of Christ, 
were, according to his promise, baptized with his 

^ John 1, 12. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 8S 

one true permanent baptism ; that of the Holy 
Ghost, which fulfils and supersedes all other bap- 
tisms, and remains the standing ordinance of God 
to his church forever. Then by revelation was the 
mystery conspicuously and powerfully disclosed ; 
''which," saith the apostle, ''in other ages was not 
made known unto the sons of men, as,'' or in the 
same degree "it is now revealed unto his holy 
apostles and prophets, by the spirit ; that the gentiles 
should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and 
partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel."* 
" For now the righteousness of God without the 
law, is manifested, being witnessed by the law and 
the prophets. "t 

7. The law witnessed to the gospel ; 1st. By its 
various offerings and sacrifices ; pointing out, and 
keeping in remembrance, that the Messiah should 
come in the flesh, in order " to put away sin by the 
sacrifice of himself. "J This was the real use of the 
sin and trespass offerings ; for, " It is not possible, that 
the blood of bulls and goats should take away 
sins."§ No; they had reference to the precious 
blood of Christ, both corporeal and spiritual ; who, 
" by one offering, hath perfected for ever them that 
are sanctified,"|| thereby putting a final period to 
the legal sacrifices. 2d. The law witnessed to the 
gospel, by its divers sprinklings, washings and puri- 
fications, which had no more efficacy towards the 
removal of sin and guilt, than the blood of bulls and 

* Eph. iii. 5, 6. t I^oni. iii- 21. J Heb, ix. 26. 

i Ibid, X. 4. II Heb. x. 14. 



84 THEORIGINALAND 

goats ; but must be understood to denote the neces- 
sity of real holiness, and to signify the spiritual ad- 
ministration of Christ ; Avho gave himself for us, 
that he might redeem us, not only from guilt and 
condemnation, but also from all iniquity, the cause 
of them ; and purify unto himself a peculiar, or 
sanctified people, zealous of good works.* This he doth 
by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of 
the Holy Ghost. f 

8. The prophets witnessed to the gospel, 1st. By 
their predictive declarations concerning the coming, 
sufferings, and offices of the Mesiah. 2d. By in- 
structing the people in the necessity of internal, es- 
sential, effectual religion, in preference to the written 
law, even during the time that stood in force ; as 
that weightier part and superior duty which ever 
necessarily remains throughout all generations. 

Samuel saith, ''To obey is better than sacrifice."! 
Hosea, "I desired mercy, and not sacrifice,'' or not 
in comparison Avith it, '' and the knowledge of God 
more than burnt offerings. "§ David acknowledges 
to the Lord, '' Thou desirest not sacrifice, else 
would I give it : Thou delightest not in burnt-offer- 
ing. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a 
broken and a contrite heart, God, thou wilt not 
despise. "II In his pathetic address to the Almighty 
verse 6, he saith, " Thou desirest truth in the in- 
ward parts;" and verse 10, he prays, ''Create in 

* Tit. ii. 14. t Ibid, iii. 5. J 1 Sam. xv. 22. 

§ Hos. vi. 6. II Psal. li. 16, 17. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 85 

me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within 
me." Micah queries, "- Will the Lord be pleased 
with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of 
rivers of oil ? Shall I give my first-born for my 
transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of 
my soul?"* And then answers: ''He hath show- 
ed thee, man, what is good ; and what doth the 
Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy 
and to walk humbly with thy God?"f Moses ex- 
horts the children of Israel, to circumcise the 
foreskin of their heart ; and told them, '' The Lord 
thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart 
of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine 
heart, and with all thy soul. "J Here he showed 
them, though they had received the sign of circum- 
cision, § the reality most required was that of the 
heart in the sf)irit ; which is the work of regenera- 
tion, the Christian circumcision of the apostle ; who 
asserts, ''He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, 
neither is that circumcision which is of the flesh; 
but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circum- 
cision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in 
the letter."|| He also observes to the Colossians; 
that in Christ they were circumcised, " with the 
circumcision made without hands, in putting ofi* the 
body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of 
Christ."! 

That the necessity of the knowledge and love of 

* Micah vi. 7, 8. f I>eut. x. 16. % Ibid. xxx. 6. 

I Rom. iv. 11. (1 Ibid. ii. 28, 29. 1[ Col. ii. 11. 



86 THE ORIGINAL AND 

God, and of a change from sin to holiness, by the 
internal circumcision of the spirit, was both taught 
and pressed upon the Jews, as that without which 
the observance of the law would little avail them. 
Nay, the prophet Isaiah* plainly shows, that the lat- 
ter without the former, rendered the practice of it, 
though Divinely instituted, abominable even to its 
institutor. 

9. Regeneration, or the circumcision of the heart 
in the spirit, being always required, the spirit by 
which alone it is wrought must have been always 
dispensed to mankind for that end. This is the gra- 
cious gift of the Father Almighty, through the Re- 
deemer ; to whom the Psalmist saith, " Thou hast 
ascended on high ; thou hast led captivity captive ; 
thou hast received gifts for men ; yea for the rebel- 
lious also ; that the Lord God might dwell among 
them/'f This was the blessed experience of those 
that humbled themselves under his mighty hand. 
^' For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhab- 
iteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the 
high and holy place, with him also that is of a con- 
trite and humble spirit; to revive the spirit of the 
humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite 
ones. "J 

* Isa. i. 11, to 19. and chap. Ixvi. 3, 4. f Psal. Ixviii. 18. 
t Isa. Ivii. 15. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 87 



CHAPTER IX. 

1. The Mosaic law a new form of Theocracy, therefore introduced by 
miraculous appearances. The abolition of the law, and the setting up 
of the gospel in its genuine purity, were necessarily attended with 
equal demonstration of the like wonderful powers. 2. All the prim- 
itive ministers had the spirit, but their gifts were different. All were 
not workers of miracles, therefore these were extra powers, not essen- 
tial to an inspired ministry. Inspiration always requisite to true min- 
istry ; but miracles not. 3 and 4. Miracles were temporary sanctions 
requisite to the abolition of the law, and institution of the gospel, but 
not essential to be continued for its support. Yet under all dispensa- 
tions, at times were occasionally wrought. The want of them no 
proof a minister is not inspired. 5. The instituticn of Christianity 
ODce confirmed by them, the future promulgation of its doctrine 
stands not in need of their continued repetition. The excellency of 
the gospel consists in its being a ministration of the spirit, clear of all 
exterior signs and shadows. 6. True Christians are baptised by one 
spirit into one body. 7. The primitives not opened at once into the 
perfect clearness of the gospel, but gradually enlightened. 8. Hence 
many professors to this day, mistake the first initiatory mixture for the 
complete state of Christianity. 9. This consists in the total removal 
of outward signs and shadows, and the clear shining of the Sun of 
Ptighteousness itself. The vanity of superseding this by human 
learning. 

1. After the wonders of creation and provi- 
dence were displayed, in producing and establish- 
ing the stupendous system of external nature, its 
great author was pleased, at distant periods, to 
show forth the visible effects of his miraculous 
power, amongst the sons of men; but when the 
time came wherein he saw fit to recall the degene- 
rate world from the corruptions it was immersed 
m, by a public assumption and manifestation of his 



88 THEOEIGINALAND 

own just dominion amongst a people chosen for 
that purpose, he raised up the children of Israel as 
an exemplar to the rest of mankind. He brought 
them out of their Egyptian bondage by an high 
hand, and through many admirable strokes of his 
power ; and upon his institution of the Mosaic law, 
which being the introduction of a new form of The- 
ocracy, unknown to the world, it was requisite it 
should be attended by such extraordinary marks 
of Divine authority, as might be suflScient to authen- 
ticate and enforce it, as coming from himself. He, 
therefore, on that great occasion, appeared to the 
Israelites in a manner answerable to his Almighty 
sovereignty ; and also to the nature and solemnity 
of that law; which, being a ministration of condem- 
nation, was ushered in by the most dreadful and as- 
tonishing tokens of terror ; with thunderings and 
lightnings, blackness, darkness, and tempest ; the 
mountain flaming with fire, the alarming sound of 
the trumpet waxing louder and louder, and the 
voice of words so terrible, that not only the people, 
but the vfhole mountain quaked exceedingly. This 
being an obvious, and most solemn act of the su- 
preme Legislator of the universe, no less authority 
than his own, could either abolish, or alter it; and 
when the period arrived, wherein he saw fit to set 
aside, and supersede this law of outward and car- 
nal ordinances, by bringing forward into full view, 
and sole obligation, the substance pointed to by it, 
his spiritual and more excellent <50venant ; it was 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 89 

necessary that it should appear to be done, by clear 
demonstrations of the same sovereign authority, in as 
public a manner, and at the most proper season for it. 
Accordingly, the gracious dispensation of the gospel 
was introduced by evidences of Divine authority 
equally extraordinary, and equally suited to its placid 
and salutary nature. 

Besides the numerous predictions of prophets 
concerning the Messiah, the advent of his forerun- 
ner the Baptist, and the miraculous conception of 
our Saviour by the blessed virgin, witness the many 
wonderful works he performed, the unaccountable 
darkness, and the rending of the veil of the temple 
throughout from top to bottom, upon his giving up 
the ghost ; denoting the separation, conclusion, and 
passing away of all sign and ceremony, and the 
disclosure of the substance in spirit and truth ; his 
astonishing resurrection, and that of the bodies of 
buried saints which arose and went into the city ; 
and his visible ascension, attended with the glorious 
ministration of angels. After all this, at the time 
of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, annually observed 
in memorial of the giving forth of the law on Mount 
Sinai, the apostles and disciples, male and female, 
being assembled together according to the Lord's 
command, the holy spirit gave a two-fold demon- 
stration of its advent, as the administrative power 
of the Christian dispensation, then to commence 
without any mixture of a legal or shadowy nature ; 
first, by the appearance of cloven tongues, as of 
8* 



90 THEORiaiNALAND 

fire, which sate upon each of them. Second, b^ 
filling their hearts with the Holy Ghost,* to such a 
degree that they began to speak with other tongues, 
or in other languages besides their own, as the spirit 
gave them utterance. Endued with heavenly wisdom 
and power, and inflamed with Divine love and fervour, 
they were now qualified to put in practice the commis- 
sion before given, in a verbal mariner, by the great 
Lord and law-giver. To divers of them were likewise 
added, the miraculous powders of healing all m.anner of 
diseases ; the dumb were made to speak, the deaf to 
hear, the lame to walk, the blind to see ; demoniacs 
were dispossessed, and the dead were raised and 
restored to life. 

2. But these extraordinary powers were neither 
conferred upon all, nor confined to the apostles 
only; yet a measure of the same spirit was com- 
municated to every one of them, women as well 
as m.en ; otherwise Peter's application of the pro- 
phecy of Joel had not been true. They were all 
filled with the Holy Ghost, but differently gifted 
and qualified by it, for different services, according 
to the w^ill and wisdom of the great dispenser. '' To 
one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom ; to 
another the word of knowledge by the same spirit ; 
to another faith by the same spirit ; to another the 
gift of healing by the same spirit ; to another the 
working of miracles by the same spirit ; to another 
prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to 

* Acts ii. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 91 

another divers kinds of tongues ; to another tha 
interpretation of tongues. But all these worketh 
that one and the self same spirit, dividing to every 
man severally as he wilL"^ 

Hence it appears, that what are commonly called 
miracles, are not necessary or essential to Divine 
inspiration, but only adjunctive operations of the 
spirit thereto, which have been occasionally super- 
added ; and therefore may either totally cease, 
when the occasions for which they were added are 
over, or continue to be used as it shall appear requi- 
site to Divine wisdom. When therefore the gospel 
was so far spread and established in the parts then 
intended, that the end for which those extraor- 
dinary powers were afforded was answered, they 
were gradually withdrawn from the church ; which 
was left, in the general, upon its proper and perma- 
nent bottom, the immediate inspiration of the holy 
spirit. No necessity therefore can be pleaded for 
the constant continuance of miraculous powers, or 
such a spirit of prophecy as signifies a peculiar 
gift of foretelling future events ; but only of those 
supernatural influences, which are requisite to en- 
lighten, quicken, regenerate, sanctify, bring forth 
the fruits of the spirit in man, enable him to fill up 
his duty, and finally prepare him for a celestial man- 
sion. These are indispensably necessary to be con- 
tinued. They are of moral consideration, and im- 
mediately influential to the preparation and salva- 

* 1 Cor. xii. 8, &c. 



92 THE ORIGINAL AND 

tion of every man, which miracle and prediction 
are not. 

3. Notwithstanding manifest appearances of ex- 
traordinary power Avere added, both to the intro- 
duction of the law, and that of the gospel, they are 
not to be considered as parts of either, but as sanc- 
tions requisite to their institution ; so I believe, 
some Divine exertions of a miraculous nature have 
been evidenced, at times, under both administra- 
tions, as well as before them ; either for the con- 
vin cement of doubtful persons, or to give additional 
weight and authority to the ministry of some in- 
spired servants of God, amongst those present with 
them, or to encourage and confirm them in their 
service. Though I doubt not but this hath some- 
times been the case since the first century, and may 
remain to be so to the end of time, for neither the 
power nor goodness of the Almighty is shortened ; 
yet I am also of opinion, that miraculous appear- 
ances have been less public, and more sparingly 
afibrded since the first century than before it ; 
which may be in part owing to the declension of 
the professing churches. I also believe, according 
to the prophetic declarations of the apostles, that 
under the declined and darkened state of both 
teachers and hearers, many strange signs, and 
lying wonders have been, and still may be suft'ered 
to be imposed upon the credulity of a disobedient 
people, by false pretenders, for the support of a cor- 
rupt interest, and the aggrandisement of the con- 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 93 

ductors. Undoubtedly, those mysterious delusions 
have been abundantly more numerous for many 
centuries past, than the exertions of Divine power in 
an extraordinary way. 

4. The continuation of exterior miracles is not 
essential to the ministration of the gospel ; for was 
it so, Christianity could not subsist without them. 
Yet, though they are not of absolute necessity there- 
unto, they may be occasionally used, or not, as the ' 
sovereign wisdom sees meet. But that they are still 
constantly, or periodically continued in any parti- 
cular church, as a peculiar mark of its being the 
only true church of Christ, above all others, I find 
no warrant to believe. Pretensions of this kind, na- 
turally put thinking minds upon looking for a supe- 
rior excellency in the doctrines and practices of 
such a church ; and when they find it abound in 
superstition and pomp, coercive imposition, proud 
hierarchy, craft, lucre, and idolatrj^, even border- 
ing upon polytheism ; for what else is the adoration 
of saints and sinners under that title, by attributing 
a kind of omnipresence and influence in the court 
of heaven to them ? When they find these, and 
other mionstrous absurdities in the established doc- 
trines of such a church, instead of the simplicity 
purity, humility, love, and life of the gospel ; what 
can they conclude of those pretensions^ but that 
they are the deceitful juggles of imposture, and the 
legends of folly ? The very ends most of them are 
calculated to answer, sufficiently evidence their 



94 THE ORIGINAL AND 

falsehood, and show, whatever they are, that they are 
not Divine. 

It doth not appear, that in the primitive age of 
Christianity, those who were sometimes attended with 
miraculous powers, were always so accompanied in 
their ministry ; nor that all inspired ministers w^ere 
ever enabled to work miracles in the sight of the 
people. Seeing therefore it is evident, that these 
extraordinary powers are not essential to an inspired 
ministry, they are not the necessary proofs of it ; nor 
the want of them an argument that a minister is not 
inspired. But though these are not essential to Christi- 
anity, immediate inspiration is constitutionally so. 
The excellency of the gospel dispensation is, that it is 
not a mixture of sign and substance, as that of the 
Jews was, nor a temporary, but a standing ministration 
of the spirit. 

5. Seeing no further change of dispensations is 
ever to be made, nor any other doctrine to be 
preached, but that of our Saviour and his apostles ; 
which, upon its commencement, received a mira- 
culous confirmation sufficient for its lasting esta- 
blishment, people are not now to expect, or call 
for miracles from those who preach the Christian 
doctrine ; but to turn to, and attend upon that 
Divine principle pointed out in the Scriptures, as 
manifested in the breast of each individual, the 
ministration of Christ in spirit. This will give the 
sincere and humble receiver more clear and par- 
ticular demonstration, than outward signs and 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 95 

tokens could do ; for the powers whence they pro- 
ceed may be disputed, but the internal evidence of 
the light of Christ, the life of men, as rightly wait- 
ed for, and adhered to, leaves no doubt in the mind 
concerning its Divine nature and authority. Hence 
R. Barclay asserts, in the words of the primitive 
protestants, there is no need now of outward mira- 
cles to avouch the doctrines of the gospel ; yet ac- 
knowledges, that some did appear upon its revival in 
the last century. But to return. 

The apostle, 2 Cor. iii. shows that the ministra- 
tion of the gospel far excels that of the law, and 
that its excellency stands in its spirituality. Having 
spoken of the law, verse 7, he subjoins, '' How shall 
not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious ? 
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, 
much more doth the ministration of righteousness 
exceed in glory. For even that which was made 
glorious, had no glory in this respect, by reason of 
the glory which excelleth. For if that which was 
done away was glorious, much more that which 
remaineth is glorious."* Why is the gospel thus 
super-eminent above the law, seeing that was a 
Divine institution ? Principally, because it is not 
an outward code as the law was, but an inward 
law of life,t " written, not with ink, but with the 
spirit of the living Grod ; not in tables of stone, but 
in fleshy tables of the heart ; and because it makes 

* 2 Cor. iii. 8, 9, 10, 11. f 2 Cor. iii. 3. 



96 THE ORIGINAL AND 

able ministers, not of the letter, but of tlie spirit ; 
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.""^ 

No man can be a true Christian without the 
spirit of Christ ; for, " If any man hath not the spirit 
of Christ, he is none of his."t 

Every Christian ought to experience the indwelling 
of the spirit. " Know ye not that your body is the 
temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye 
have of God, and ye are not your own. "J 

It is requisite to every Christian, that he should 
know the spirit to be his guide and leader ; for, only 
" as many as are led by the spirit of God, are the sons 
of God."§ 

No man can be a sheep of Christ without a dis- 
tinguishing sense of the spirit of Christ. ''I am the 
good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known 
of mine." — ^' My sheep hear my voice, and I know 
them, and they follow me." — " The sheep follow him, 
for they know his voice, and a stranger they will not 
follow. "II The voice of Christ is the manifestation of 
his spirit to the soul. 

Without being born again of the spirit, no man 
can enter the kingdom of God,T[ and without the 
spirit, no man can be born of it ; consequently the 
spirit is altogether as requisite to us as it could be 
to the primitives. It is no more in our ability to re- 
generate and prepare ourselves for the kingdom, 
than it was in theirs. No powers, natural or ac- 

* 2 Cor. iii. 6. f "^om. viii. 9. J 1 Cor. vi. 19. 

2 Rom. viii. 14. || John x. 14, 27, 45. ^ John iii. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 97 

quired, in our unregenerate state, are suflBcient for 
so great a purpose ; and to enable us truly to say, 
with the people of Grod in former times, " Lord, 
thou wilt ordain peace for us ; for thou hast 
wrought all our works in us.""^ 

Without the spirit, no man can be a minister of 
the spirit. The apostolic direction is, ''As every 
man hath received the gift, even so minister the 
same one to another, as good stewards of the mani- 
fold grace of God. If any man speak, let him 
speak as the oracles of God ; if any man minister, 
let him do it as of the ability which God giveth ; 
that God in all things may be glorified through 
Jesus Christ, "t 

6. Every true believer and faithful follower of 
Christ, in the apostolic age, received a portion of 
the same holy spirit which the prophets and apos- 
tles did, though in less degrees; ''for," saith Paul, 
^'by one spirit are we all baptised into one body, 
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be 
bond or free ; and have been all made to drink into 
one spirit. "J This one spirit rendered them one 
body, and joined them to the one living head. 
^' There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are 
called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one 
faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who 
is above all, and through all, and in you all."§ Thus 
according to the several measures allotted them, 

^ Isaiah xxvi. 12. f 1 Pet. iv. 10, 11. 

1 1 Cor. xii. 13. | Eph. iv. 4, 5, 6. 

9 



98 THEORIGINALAND 

they were all partakers of the same holy spirit ; and 
as it was then, so it is now, and ever must be in 
the true spiritual universal church of Christ. 

7. The gospel sun arose in great splendour ; yet 
it appeared not in its full meridian at once, to any. 
The openings of truth in the minds of the primitive 
Christians, apostles as well as others, were gradual. 
As they advanced forward in the new nature, they 
saw further and further. For a time, they occasion- 
ally circumcised, entered into vows, anointed with 
oil, baptised with John's baptism ; all of which were 
of an external and legal nature. Nay, at first, they 
perceived not the Holy Ghost was to be given to 
Gentiles as well as Jews ; though Joel had plainly 
prophesied it should be poured out upon all flesh. 
But afterwards, as their concern continued to press 
forward, they were led beyond the first initiatory 
mixture of things ; they saw clearly and declared, 
that the holy spirit fell upon the Gentiles as well as 
Jews ;* that neither circumcision nor uncircum- 
cision availeth ;f that a good conscience ariseth 
not from the practice of exterior rites ;J that the 
unction from the holy One is altogether sufficient 
to give instruction and true judgment ;§ that the 
saving baptism is not that which can reach no 
deeper than the outside of the flesh, but that of the 
spirit; which baptises the heart, and produceth the 
ansvr^er of a good conscience towards God, by the 

* Acts ix. 18. t Gal. v. 6. 

t Heb. ix. 9. 1 1 John ii 20, 27. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 99 

resurrection of Christ, or his spiritual arising in or 
upon the soul.* 

8. It is no uncommon thing to hear the apostolic 
age styled the infancy of Christianity ; and so it 
was in point of time, and also in respect to the tem- 
porary continuation of a few exteriors ; not imme- 
diately seen through, and afterwards retained for a 
season, in condescension to those new believers, 
who had been so much attached to symbolical 
practices, they could not readily be brought to dis- 
use them. And, in our day, many of the present 
leaders and rulers, in divers of the most numerous 
churches professing the Christian name, seem to 
imagine, that though the assistance of the Holy 
Ghost was necessary to the introduction and sup- 
port of the Christian religion in primitive times, it 
has no need of it now. It is become so matured by 
man's wisdom and learning, which had no share in 
its origin, that it is fully capable to go alone. So 
that now it is, in great measure, become another 
thing, and stands upon another foundation, than for- 
merly. Though it still calls Christ its head, and 
accounts itself his body, it receives no immediate 
direction from him, nor feels the circulation of his 
blood, which is the life and virtue of true religion. 
Thus deservedly incurring the reproof of the apostle 
implied in this query ; '' Having begun in the spirit, 
are ye now made perfect by the flesh ?"t In truth, 
it too evidently appears, in a general view, that the 

*lPet.iii.21. tGlal.iii.3. 



100 THEORiaiNALAND 

professed Christian churches, instead of being in the 
maturity of Christianity, are greatly in the decline 
from that state ; or they could not be so insensible, 
nor durst appear so opposite to the life of religion, 
as to reject and decry the vital part of it, and treat 
it as extinct, unnecessary, or at least insensibly to 
be now received ; as too many of their leaders and 
members do. Surely a church in this condition, is 
properly entitled to that address of the spirit, to the 
degenerate church of Sardis ; '^ I know thy works, 
that thou hast a name that thou livest and art 
dead.""^ Yet, notwithstanding this seems to be too 
generally the case, and that the religion of many 
high professors is little else but real deism, covered 
with a superficial kind of Christianity, I hope, and 
verily believe, there are many living and sensible 
members of the body of Christ in those churches. 

The vitality and glory of Christianity lies in the 
clear administration of the holy spirit, without any 
veil of legal or ritual adumbrations. School-learn- 
ing is but a human accomplishment ; and though 
very useful as a servant, is no part of Christianity. 
Neither the acquirements of the college, nor the for- 
malities of human authority, can furnish that hu- 
mility which fitteth for God's teaching. Possessed 
of arts and languages, weak people are puffed up 
with a conceit of superiority, which leads from self- 
denial and the daily cross, into pride and self-suffi- 
ciency; and instead of waiting for, and depending 

* Rev. ill. 1. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 101 

upon the wisdom and power of God, into a confidence 
in the wisdom of this world, and a devotional satis- 
faction in the rote of external forms and ordinances. 
Whereas those that worship God in the spirit, rejoice 
in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.* 
And why ? Because it is the spirit that quickeneth ; 
the flesh profiteth nothing. f 

Whosoever deny that the holy spirit, and its in- 
ternal operations, are now to be sensibly experienced, 
only demonstrate their own insensibility thereof. The 
true people of God in all ages, have declared their 
own undoubted sense of Divine illumination and help ; 
and the apostle in Rom. vii. and viii. before cited, 
testifies he had a strong, clear, distinguishing sense of 
the holy spirit throughout its operations. As it was 
then, it now is, and must remain to be, so long as men 
are upon earth. The same work in due measure is 
absolutely necessary to every one, and the like sense 
of it proportionally clear and certain to all who expe- 
rience regeneration. No man can obtain felicity out 
of God's kingdom, nor can any enter the kingdom 
without being born of the spirit ; neither is the work 
of the new-birth wrought insensibly in any. Whatever 
unknown means men imagine, insensible operation is 
not regeneration. It is a mere deception. The Holy 
Ghost, whether it operate by words and instruments, 
or without them, always comes in power ; a power 
which gives an undeniable sense of it ; perfectly dis- 
tinct from, and above all other powers ; and with a 

* Phil. iii. 3. t John vi. 63. 

9* 



102 THE ORIGINAL AND 

perspicuity, at times as far exceeding all natural lights, 
as the radiant sun does the faint glimmer of the glow- 
worm. 

This holy spirit of Divine light and power of life, 
is the great fundamental principle of the reproached 
Quakers, and the only true saving principle for all 
mankind. It is Christ in spirit, a light to lighten the 
Gentiles, and God's salvation to the ends of the 
earth ; who always became, and stands always ready 
to become, the author of eternal salvation to all them 
that obey him.* 

* Luke ii. 32. Acts xiii. 47. Heb. v. 9. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 103 



CHAPTER X. 

I. Man, without Divine grace, wholly unable to take one step towards 
his salvation. 2. God finst sets man at liberty, often revisits him by 
the spirit of grace, seeks by all proper means to prevail with him, 
without violating the liberty he affords him, till his continued back- 
sliding demonstrates he will not turn from his evil ways, and live. 
Then his time of visitation ceases, and he is given up to his beloved 
delusions. 3. God is not the author of evil. Objections from Isaiah 
and Amos answered. 4. Men justified in evil doing, if God be its 
author. What sin is. It is not the effect, but the cause of his dis- 
pleasure, and to be placed to man's account. 5. The cause of man's 
salvation. The great efficient of it. He operates towards it, both im- 
mediately, and by the use of proper means; all by grace, through the 
faith it communicates ; which necessarily produceth good works, not 
to be attributed to man as meritorious. 6. What Calvinism teaches. 
7, &c. The modern Fatalists somewhat refine upon this, but unavoid- 
ably centre in the same absurdity and falsehood. This largely shown 
in variety of matter to the end of this chapter. 

1. Having endeavoured plainly to show what the 
leading principles of the people called Quakers are, 
and that they are the genuine doctrines of true 
Christianity, I shall now proceed to take notice of 
divers matters more particularly. 

Robert Barclay says, "As man is wholly unable 
of himself to work with the grace, neither can he 
move one step out of the natural condition, until the 
grace of God lay hold upon him, so, it is possible to 
him to be passive, and not resist it, as it is possible 
for him to resist it." That is, by the power of Di- 
vine grace laying hold of or influencing the spirit of 
man, it first becomes possible for him to be pas- 
sive, and not resist its operation ; which is the 



104 THE ORIGINAL AND 

first step man takes in the way of salvation. 
''Without me," saith our Saviour, ''ye can do 
nothing."* "Man cannot set one single step to- 
wards his salvation, without the assistance of the grace 
of God, as the first moving, and continually enabling 
cause, both of the will and the deed." So that, though 
passiveness is the beginning of the Vv-ork, he is pre- 
viously disposed to it by virtue of the holy spirit. We 
attribute the whole of man's salvation to it, first and 
last, without at all placing man's destruction to the 
account of his Maker. 

Our doctrine teacheth, 1. That man has no ability 
to save himself, is not naturally in a state of equal 
freedom to good or evil at his pleasure, nor is in 
possession of that faith which is necessary to his 
salvation. 2. That the Redeemer afi'ords a mani- 
festation of his spirit to the soul of every man, by 
which, at seasons, he checks his corrupt inclina- 
tions, stops them in their career, and puts it in his 
power to reflect upon his present condition, and be- 
come passive to the operation of this inward princi- 
ple. If he resist it not, but stand in submission, it 
takes further hold of him, gives him so to believe in 
it, as to suffer it in some degree to unite with, abide 
in, and operate upon him. In this situation, he feels 
strength and comfort spring up from it, which in- 
creaseth his faith and trust therein, and gradually 
enables and engages him to become active ; that is, 
to join heartily in concurrence with its operations, 

* John XV. 5. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 105 

and to proceed from faith to faith, and from one 
desrree of srrace to another, till he attain to know the 
new-birth of the spirit, and to participate in degree 
of the glorious light, life, and nature of the heavenly 
kingdom. 

2. God hath made man a reasonable creature, 
and therefore requires a willing obedience of him, 
in order to the high reward of eternal felicity ; and 
if he repeatedly visits all with the reaches of his 
grace, and continues time after time to convict, per- 
suade, and woo, as the Scriptures declare, that he may 
prevail upon him to come to repentance ; doth he not 
go as far as reasonable creatures can claim, without 
violating the rational liberty he affords ? Let man but 
yield obedience to his convictions, and see if he can 
charge his Creator with partiality or hard measure. 
It is the unprofitable and unprofiting servant that doth 
this. 

Education and tradition do certainly prepossess, 
and give a bias to the mind against every doctrine 
different to those it hath been taught ; but the 
Divine light, at times, darts in upon the soul una- 
wares, as quick as lightning ; penetrates through 
all its darkness and every false colour ; disturbs it in 
its polluted rests and carnal gratifications ; shows 
its bondage under them, and inspires the secret 
wish, and heaving sigh to be delivered, attended 
with some de^rree of resolution ao^ainst them. This 

o o 

being the opening of Divine light upon the mind, is 
called the day of God's visitation, the time of grace 



106 THE ORIGINAL AND 

anto man ; wherein life and death are distinguished 
in him ; and liberty is not only given him to choose 
life, which he could not do before, but also a suit- 
able measure of ability to love and cleave to the 
grace he is visited with, and thereby to come to 
repentance, and be saved. For this grace is the spirit 
of the Saviour, and brings the power of salvation in 
it.* 

These merciful visitations of Divine grace are 
often repeated, by night as well as by day. *' God," 
saith inspired Elihu, ^'speaketh once, yea twice, yet 
man perceiveth it not ; in a dream, in a vision of 
the night, when deep sleep falleth upon man, in 
slumberings upon the bed. Then he openeth the 
ears of men, and sealeth their instruction ; that he 
may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride 
from man."t He then proceeds to show, how he 
operates upon the submissive soul, in the work of 
repentance and mortification, and what shall be its 
issue. Afterwards, he recapitulates the whole in these 
comprehensive terms. '' He looketh upon men, and 
if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which 
was right, and it profiteth me not; he wdll deliver 
his soul from going into the pit, and his life 
shall see the light. Lo, all these things worketh 
God oftentimes with man, to bring back his soul 
from the pit to be enlightened with the light of the 
living.'' J 

The great father of mercies is pleased to con- 

* Tit. ii. 11. t Job. xxxiii. 14, &c. t Ibid 27, &c. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 107 

tinue his gracious visitations from on high to back- 
sliding men, till they are become so determined in 
wickedness, and so habitually united to its servitude, 
that like the servants in Exodus, xxi. 5, 6, they will 
not be freed from it. Then night comes upon them, 
the day of their visitation ceases ; for God will not 
always strive with those who have been long and 
often reproved, and still harden their necks, "^ to no 
purpose ; but after long forbearance, he withdraws 
the reaches of his merciful loving-kindness, and 
suffers them to incur that dreadful sentence, " He 
that is unjust, let him be unjust still ; and he that is 
filthy, let him be filthy still. "f 

When persons are thus judicially hardened, and 
given up to their own hearts* lusts and beloved de- 
lusions, and left in a state of insensibility of the 
Divine principle, they may blindly mistake it for 
peace and security. To such, conscience becomes 
for the present, obscured and as a book shut up, 
wherein they cannot read; but in the day of the 
righteous retribution of the great judge of quick and 
dead, this hidden volume will again be unfolded, by 
him who openeth and none can shut, and a just dis- 
tribution made to every one according to w^hat is 
written therein ; for it will prove either a book of 
life or of death to every man ; to them who, by pa- 
tient continuance in well-doing, have sought the 
glory of God, their own salvation, and the good of 
others, immortality and eternal life ; but to those 
who have continued in disobedience and rebellion 

* Prov. xxix. 1. fRev. xxii. 11. 



108 THE ORIGINAL AND 

against God, tribulation and anguish both inexpres- 
sible and interminable. 

3. Can any reasonable creature think it possible, 
that the same Spirit and Power of goodness which 
condescended to take our low nature upon him, 
sufier in, and sacrifice that nature whilst connected 
with it, a propitiation for the sins of the whole 
world,* could ever intentionally consign the ma- 
jority, or any part of the same world, to unavoid- 
able, unconditional misery ? It appears from his at- 
tributes of truth, equity, wisdom, mercy, and good- 
ness, impossible that he should either actually oblige 
any of his creatures to sin, that they might be mise- 
rable ; or, when he has created them, to desert them 
to sin and misery, by entirely withholding from 
them that w^hich is necessary to their help and pre- 
servation. We therefore rationally conclude, that he 
doth not only set good and evil before man in their 
just distinctions, but at the same time enables him 
to choose which he will follow ; and further, that he 
stirs up and assists mat) to desire after true felicity ; 
and as he abides in this desire, he empowers him 
to strive, press, and wrestle efi'ectually for deliver- 
ance and preservation. 

The primary motions of volition in the mind 
being very nice and delicate, are not easy, if possi- 
ble, for men to form a precise idea of, without 
the light of God's spirit ; whence some have taken 
occasion to charge the dijfferent dispositions of men 

* 1 John ii. 2. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 109 

towards the visitations of Divine grace, to God's 
account; by which they render him the primary 
author of evil, who, by the special peculiarity of his 
essence, is too unchangeably perfect in all his attri- 
butes, ever to warp from perfect rectitude. But is 
it not absurd to suppose, that any intelligent being 
can voluntarily produce what is contrary to its na- 
ture ; especially an omnipotent existence, whose 
power must be irresistible by all objects and occur- 
rences ? Is not sin the transgression of God's will, 
and vice contrary to his nature ? How then could 
these be produced by an act of his will, or be the 
genuine fruit of his power, either mediately or im- 
mediately ? Can a right understanding lead any 
man to think, that the will of God is possible at any 
time to be contrary to his nature ? 

From purity, goodness, and virtue, no impurity, 
vice, or evil could naturally arise. But that text 
hath been objected, '' It is impossible but that of- 
fences will come.""^ True; but whence come they? 
Not from God, but from that root of corruption 
which hath entered and overspread the world. 
Whilst this corrupt root remains, they will natural- 
ly spring from it ; and the same text pronounces, 
"Woe unto him through- whom they come." "But 
God saith, I create evil."f And the prophet saith, 
" Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath 
not doneit?"J Moral evil is not here intended, but 
the natural evil of pain and distress, through hos- 

^ Luke xvii. 1. f Isa. xlv. 7. % Amos iii. 6. 

10 



110 THE ORIGINAL AND 

tility, sickness, famine, fee., which are the judg* 
ments of God upon men for disobedience and the 
commission of moral evil. 

4. To say, that God originally so constituted and 
ordered things, that evil must necessarily ensue in 
consequence of such constitution, is to treat him 
both as the designing and potential author of all 
evil. Wherein then are the "wickedest creatures, 
-whether angelical or human, to blame? If they 
cannot be otherwise than they are, nor act other- 
wise than they do ; in point of equity, all their wick- 
edness is justified by the necessity they are origin- 
ally subjected to by their Creator ; whom this 
doctrine renders the real author of it, either immedi- 
ately or remotely. If God himself laid the ground- 
work of all evil, he must be the author of all that 
follows by necessary consequence upon it. 

According to my apprehension, sin consists in the 
creature's preferring the indulgence of its depraved 
nature, to the obedience of Divine grace ; which in- 
dulgence leads it to the abuse of that grace ; and to 
think, speak and act against the manifested will of 
its Creator. Neither the origin, nor continuance 
of sin in the AYorld can be the fruit of God's will ; 
for it always brings his displeasure upon the crea- 
ture. It is not the effect, but the cause of his dis- 
pleasure. A Being, perfectly holy, just and good, 
can neither do evil, nor delight in seeing his crea- 
tures do it. It is contrary to his nature, therefore 
against his will, and what he could not suffer to 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. Ill 

originate without offering means to prevent it, and 
showing his displeasure with it ; nor can he consist- 
ently be conceived to extend personal approbation, or 
aversion to any, exclusive of the state of the parties 
respecting good and evil. 

That some obey, and others refuse obedience to 
the manifestations of Divine grace, is certainly 
true ; and we believe, the cause of this difference 
is not of God, but entirely owing to man. Let him 
that doubts it inquire in his own conscience. The 
faithful witness there, by its condemnations for evil, 
will plainly show him, that the fault is his own. 
What man is there upon earth without these com- 
punctive strokes ? Who has not, also, felt at times 
inclinations and dispositions excited in him towards 
virtue and a good life ; and who knows not, that 
when he followed them, he found peace in his obe- 
dience ; and when he turned from this salutary pur- 
suit to one of a contrary nature, he incurred trouble 
and condemnation ? Can a reasonable creature need 
further proofs, that both those convicting reprehensions 
and comforts, are the internal immediate adjudications 
of a just, good, powerful, omnipresent, all-intelligent 
principle ? And what is this but God ; and for what 
end doth he thus attend every soul and conscience, 
but that all may come to repentance and experience 
salvation ? 

5. The first moving, true and proper cause of 
man's salvation, is the goodness and love of God to 
him. The essential means by which he effects it, 



112 THE ORIGINAL AND 

is the operation of his own holy spirit on the soul of 
man ; often immediately, and sometimes instrumen- 
tally, by making use of exterior aud incidental 
things, and working by them as secondary means ; 
such as preaching, reading the Scriptures and other 
good books, pious conversation, worship, mercies, 
distresses, &c. After this manner it pleaseth Divine 
wisdom to exercise the body in the service of the 
soul, whereby both are bettered divers ways. It is 
God by his holy spirit who worketh all good in man, 
both as to the will and the deed. It is by grace we 
are saved, through faith, or in the way of faith, 
that faith which worketh by the love of Grod to 
the pui'ifying of the heart, and the production of 
good works. These are the genuine fruits of it, and 
inseparable from it : therefore without works we 
cannot be saved. Yet it is not by the works that 
we are saved, as the cause of salvation to us, but 
by grace through the root of them, the faith, by 
which we believe in God, open to, and receive him, 
cleave to him, trust in him, and so lay hold of eter- 
nal life. This faith is not our faculty, but the gift 
of God to us. It comes by grace, the free grace of 
God, who is, " not willing that any should perish, 
but that all should come to repentance.'""^ He 
whose works are evil, hath not this saving faith, 
believe what propositions he will ; for where it is, 
it necessarily produceth good works. This root is 
never without its fruits. " Show me thy faith with- 

* 2 Pet. iii. 9. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAY. 113 

out thy works, and I will show thee my faith by 
my works*, ''"^ saith the apostle James. Yet these 
works do not render us meritorious of salvation, for 
they are not to be attributed to us, but wholly to 
him, who, through his grace^ hath brought us into 
this blessed state of living faith wherein they are 
produced. " For by grace are ye saved, through 
faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of 
Grod, Not of works, lest any man should boast ; 
for we are bis workmanship, created in Christ Jesus 
unto good works, which God hath before ordained, 
that we should walk in them."f 

6. The reprobationary schem.e demonstrates, to 
what a pitch of absurdity the minds even of sensible 
and pious men may be carried, when they follow 
their own cloudy reasonings instead of the illumina- 
tions of the holy spirit. Calvin asserts that, by the 
ordination and the will of God Adam fell. God 
would have man to fall — and that the highest or re- 
mote cause of hardening is the will of God. Beza 
saith, God hath predestinated not only unto damna- 
tion, but also unto the causes of it, whomsoever he 
saw meet. Zanchius, that God is the first cause of 
obduration. Zuinglius, that God moveth the robber 
to kill. He killeth, God forcing him thereunto. But 
thou wilt say^ he is forced to sin ; I permit truly 
that he is forced. Piscator, that reprobate persons 
are absolutely ordained to this two-fold end ; to un- 
dergo 'everlasting punishment, and necessarily to sin ; 

* Jam. ii. 18. t Eph. ii. 8, 9, 10. 

10* 



114 THEORIGIN ALAND 

and therefore to sin that they may be justly punish- 
ed.* It is a mystery to me, how the poor repro- 
bates can be justly punished, for actions they are 
Divinely obliged to commit ; or how they can sin 
by necessarily doing the will of God. 

7. Our modern writers of this class, refined a little 
from the barbarism of their predecessors in expres- 
sion, but their refinements ultimately centre in the 
like accusation of their Creator. Jonathan Edwards, 
M. A. in his careful and strict inquiry into the mo- 
dern prevailing notions of that freedom of will, &c. 
has these expressions : " If by the author of sin be 
meant the sinner, the agent, or actor of sin, or the 
doer of a wicked thing ; so it would be a reproach 
and blasphemy to suppose God to be the author of 
sin. — But if by the author of sin is meant the per- 
mitter or not hinderer of sin ; and at the same time 
a disposer of the state of events in such a manner, 
for wise, holy, and most excellent ends and pur- 
poses, that sin, if it be permitted, or not hindered, 
will most certainly and infallibly follow ; I say, if 
this be all that is meant by the author of sin, I do 
not deny that God is the author of sin" — ''It is no 
reproach for the Most High to be thus the author 
of sin. This is not to be the actor of sin, but on 
the contrary, of holiness. What God doth herein is 
holy, and a glorious exercise of the infinite excel- 
lency of his nature" — ''That it is most certainly so, 

* Cap. 3. Gen. 1 Inst. C. 18 S.l. Lib. de Prsed. Lib. de Prov. 
Lib. de Praed. De Eccaut. Q. 5. Lib. de Pro. vid. C. 5. Resp. 
ad Verst. Part. i. p. 120. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 115 

that God is in such manner the disposer and order- 
er of sin, is evident, if any credit is to be given to 
Scripture ; as well as it is impossible in the nature 
of things to be otherwise.""^ 

I think I have already shown, in the preceding 
part of this discourse, that it is not only possible, 
but most probable to be otherwise ; and now shall 
proceed to show, it is impossible to be according to 
this author's assertion. 

8. If God disposeth the state of events in such a 
manner, that sin will most certainly follow, and 
that he also permits, or doth not hinder it, he must 
be the sole author of sin himself; and those who 
are called the actors, or committers of evil, are 
only subjects by whom he effects it. They are 
nothing more, in the case, than the necessitated 
instruments of evil. If he hath so ordered the na- 
ture and concerns of his rational creation, that they 
must most certainly and infallibly sin, he must be 
the cause of sin, and not they ; and it cannot be 
righteous in him to charge the blame of what must 
infallibly follow, from his own determination and 
disposal, upon those to whom he has rendered it 
unavoidable. 

If the Almighty, from the beginning, so ordered 
his creation, that evil must necessarily ensue in it, 
it must be designed by him, or he would not have 
80 ordered it ; and every supposed transgressor ne- 
cessarily acts according to the Divine will, in every 

* P. 357-8. 



116 THE ORIGINAL AND 

sin he commits ; and tbe Divine being takes plea- 
sure, first in his sin, and next in his eternal misery; 
for he is certainly pleased when his will is done. 
What worse can be said of the worst of beings, 
than this doctrine implies of the best. 

If man be alioAved no choice, he can incur no 
guilt. He must at some time be at liberty, or he 
can never do amiss. If he do only what he is 
obliged to do, by a constitution of things fixed by his 
Creator, he cannot sin against him ; for what he 
obliges him to do, he wills him to do, and it can 
be no transgression against him to do his will ; be- 
cause to sin, is to offend him, and to ofi*end him is 
to act contrary to his will. Whatever a man doth 
from the necessity of his nature, let that necessity 
be the consequence of the lapse of his first parents, 
or not, if a remedy be not in his power, it is the 
same thing to him. It was not himself that subject- 
ed himself to such a faulty or defective nature; 
therefore he cannot, in equity, be condemned for 
what he could no w^ay help or avoid. To assert, 
that a person may be justly punished for being what 
he is obliged to be, or doing what he is inevita- 
bly forced to do, by his Maker, may pass upon blind 
inconsiderate people for mystery ; but to others it 
must appear a manifest absurdity, and a most 
daring one, when attributed to the eternal fountain 
of all truth and justice; a reproach to him, and 
blasphemy against him. 

9. It is impossible God should commit any act of 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 117 

sin, because it is against his nature, and consequent- 
ly impossible he should will it. Sin is the transgres- 
sion of his will, and if he could neither will nor act 
it, he cannot be any way the author of it. Barely 
suffering it to arise, is not causing it to be. All that 
can be allowed is, that by forming reasonable crea- 
tures, and constituting them in a state of rational 
freedom, he afforded them the opportunity of mak- 
ing their duty their choice ; but never willed them 
to abuse it, by lapsing from the grace he favoured 
them with for their preservation, dividing their wills 
from his will, and counteracting his salutary laws, 
to whom they owed their being, and on whom they 
must absolutely depend for all the good they ever 
could enjoy. And notwithstanding he foresaw they 
might be prevailed on to make a w^rong use of their 
liberty, he certainly intended to favour them with 
means amply sufficient for their recovery and res- 
toration. Though he forbore forcibly to hinder 
them from falling into iniquity, he did all that could 
be done to prevent it in rational creatures. He 
forewarned them against it, showing them the 
dreadful consequence of it, and unquestionably arm- 
ed them with power, by his spirit, to withstand all 
temptation to it, had they kept under it. He never 
could so permit, as to license their departure from 
their reasonable duty, and true interest. By the 
power and goodness dispensed to man, he might 
have stood without sin ; and now that he has fallen 
into it, by a renewal of the same power and good- 



118 THE ORIGINAL AND 

ness still afforded liim, he may be recovered froni 
it, and brought to felicity. His Redeemer both of- 
fers and assists him ; yet he backslides, and refuses to 
abide under the guidance of his great benefactor. 
Man's destruction, therefore, is of himself, and in the 
Lord alone is his help.* 

10. We are told, the will is always determined 
hy the strongest motive. Has the will no liberty 
then, at any time ? Is it always so forcibly deter- 
mined, in all its motions, by circumstances and mo- 
tives successively arising upon it, from the original 
constitution of things, that everj^ man is necessarily 
obliged to think, speak, and act just as he doth? 
No, it is answered, in temporal matters the mind 
has a liberty of choice. Why not in spirituals as 
well as temporals ? How are the motives and cir- 
cumstances which determine the will in temporal 
concerns, more in its power than those that deter- 
mine it in spiritual ones ; and how do we know it to 
be so ? Was this really the case, our inevitable acts 
would certainly render us no proper subjects of re- 
ward and punishment ; of come ye blessed, or go ye 
cursed. We must be equally unentitled to approbation 
and censure. 

Those who alledge, that motives arise from the 
circumstances we are placed in, and the occurrences 
we meet wuth, which necessarily oblige us to think, 
speak, and act as they impress our minds, do not 
appear sufficiently to consider, that there is a su- 

* Hos. xiii. 9. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 119 

preme all-powerful Controller of circumstances and 
events, who can, and unquestionably doth, in due 
season, by his potential influence upon the mind of 
man, counterbalance every other influence. Can 
Ave think that he placeth good and evil, life and 
death before men, as the sacred records testify, and 
calleth them repeatedly to choose life and good, 
and yet that he doth not enable them so to do ? 
Every Divine precept, every exhortation, every 
command, every commination, implies a liberty af- 
forded to the subject, to comply or refuse ; to obey or 
disobey. 

11. In the supposition before us, the will of man 
is efi*ectually deprived of all freedom in his main 
concern. For it is the same thing to the suJGferer, 
whether the superior power subject him under this 
irresistible fatality, by an immediate and unaltera- 
ble decree, or by the means of motives and induce- 
ments, so powerfully suited to his natural inclina- 
tions and passions, that he must necessarily be 
carried away with them. The man is equally in 
bondage either w^ay. To tell him that his will is 
free, because he doth as he pleases when he acts 
agreeably to those motives, and the dispositions 
they necessarily excite, or enlarge, whilst at the 
same time, they are unavoidable by him, and so 
irresistibly influential to his corrupt inclinations, 
that they are rendered eagerly concurrent with 
them; to argue in this case, that because the party 
pursues the gratification of his present desires, he 
acts upon a principle of freedom, is to assert an 



120 THE ORIGINAL AND 

evident falsehood. For, the man is first deceived, over- 
powered, and so unwittingly captivated, that be cannot 
avoid willing the evil he is ensnared into ; and though 
he wills it, it is because his will is not at liberty, but 
previously deceived and captivated, though he sees not 
how; and instead of being a moral agent, is merely 
the instrument of an unseen superior power, who art- 
fully obliges him to an evil course, and to the infelicity 
consequent upon it. 

The nature of liberty supposes no absolute neces- 
sity, but such a freedom as may admit of choice, 
without a predetermining power obliging one way 
only. It is true, the powers of men, as well as those 
of all other creatures, are necessarily limited to 
their proper sphere. No creature can exceed the 
bounds of its proper element, yet it can act with 
freedom therein, as a bird in the air, or a fish in the 
water ; so man, though unable to stretch beyond 
the compass of humanity, is enabled to act at liber- 
ty within it ; and I conceive, a wise and good being, 
though omnipotent, would not put any restraint or 
force upon him there, but for his good. It is bar- 
barous to suppose, he would restrain him from good 
in order to his hurt. ''Far be it from God that he 
should do wickedness ; and from the Almighty that he 
should commit iniquity. For the work of a man shall 
he render unto him, and cause every man to find ac- 
cording to his ways. For he will not lay upon man 
more than right ; that he should enter into judgment 
with God.''* 

. * Job. xxxiv. 10, 11, 237 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 121 

12. I cannot perceive any ground for a destruc- 
tive partiality in Almighty wisdom, and perfect 
equity. Can he who prefers mercy to sacrifice, 
exalt cruelty above mercy ? To suppose, that the 
Supreme excellence should create all the millions 
of mankind of one nature, and for eternal duration, 
and that he should either immediately or remotely, 
necessitate a minority of them to everlasting happi- 
ness, and at the same time determine to give the 
major part no other opportunity but to be inevita- 
bly and eternally miserable; is to suppose, that 
there is more cruelty than goodness, more rigour 
than wisdom, and more inequality than mercy in 
the Divine nature. I therefore must conclude, that 
the supposition is irrational, unjust, and grossly in- 
jurious to the Divine character. 

Is it to be understood, that he who is supposed to 
act in this contrary manner, towards his creatures 
in the same state and nature, doth it from one and 
the same nature in himself; or that he is differently 
determined towards them, from two different na- 
tures of contrary dispositions in himself? I am ut- 
terly unable to conceive, how opposite wills can 
subsist in the same nature, and how two contrary 
natures can exist in a being of perfect and immuta- 
ble simplicity and purity ; or that such contrary 
procedures concerning his rational creatures, can 
arise from unity, equity and goodness, in the utmost 
perfection ? But no difficulty attends the supposi- 
tion, that the same nature should operate to differ- 
11 



122 THE ORiaiNAL AND 

ent effects, upon subjects in different conditions. It 
is evident to every man's observation, that the most 
glorious inanimate object of creation, the sun, by its 
beams will soften pitch and harden clay; but these 
contrary effects arise not from different natures in 
its own rays, but are different effects of the same 
beams, occasioned by the contrary dispositions of 
the pitch and clay to receive them. So, I appre- 
hend, the holy spirit operates differently on differ- 
ent persons, by reason of their different states and 
dispositions to receive its influences. 

It is not a little affecting, to behold allegations so 
injurious to the great dispenser of all good, set forth 
with subtlety of sentiment, and elegance of lan- 
guage, which can hardly fail to operate to the de- 
ception and hurt of those who embrace and allow 
them a place in their minds. To assert, that God 
either originally, or afterwards, disposed the course 
of things, and state of events in such a manner, that 
sin must certainly and infallibly follow, is to render 
him the intentional and primary author of all the 
evil that ensues. For he that raises a building, 
causeth it to be filled with combustibles, and sets 
fire to it by a fuse, or a train of powder of the 
greatest extent, which must infallibly burn it down, 
is as certainly the destroyer of the edifice, as if ho 
fired it immediately without such means. 

13, It hath been alleged. If God had not given 
man liberty, he could not have abused it. Very true. 
If the artificer had not made, nor the shopkeeper fur- 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 123 

nished the suicide with the knife he cut his throat 
with, he could not have misused it ; but is he who 
made or sold it him, for better purposes, entitled to 
any part of his guilt ? Without liberty man could 
not have sinned, and without the knife the suicide 
could not have made such a self-injurious use of it ; 
yet it is not the knife, nor those who furnished it ; 
neither is it the liberty, nor he who afforded it; 
but the ill-conceived disposition of the perpetrator 
from whence the default ariseth, and to which it is, 
in justice, wholly to be imputed. 

14. All the souls that God has made are equally 
his ; and he whose mercies are over all his works, 
overlooks none of his creatures in the distribution 
of his mercies. He withholds his talents from none ; 
but dispenseth them in different portions to different, 
persons ; that social communication and connection 
may be preserved amongst us in this life. To one he 
gives five talents ; to a second, two ; to a third, one ; 
but to every one a degree of Divine manifestation 
sufficient, if believed in and obeyed, to operate to his 
salvation. He justly requires a profiting answer- 
able to the measure he affords ; and as he perfectly 
knows to what degree of improvement each might 
have attained, he will finally judge all according 
to their increase, their negligence, or their rejection 
of the talent received. 

15. The rational immortal soul, is principally and 
essentially the man. This, as I have already shown, 
is the immediate creation of God, and descended 



124 THE ORIGINAL AND 

not from Adam and Eve, nor passeth from parents 
to children, like the mortal body ; and seeing it 
never was in them, it never sinned in them. The 
doctrine of 'preteintion^ therefore, which snpposes 
that all sinned when Adam transgressed, and de- 
serve condemnation for the sin he committed, and 
thence concludes, that God doth justly withhold his 
saving grace from the majority of mankind ; is a 
conclusion drawn from untrue premises, and conse- 
quently a false doctrine. First to create the rational 
soul, and then to forsake it, is not preterition, but 
dereliction. And this doctrine is not only false, but 
dangerous. For when some feel the comfortable 
touches of Divine visitation, instead of humbling 
themselves under it, that the work of regeneration 
may go forward, this opinion leads themi to ima- 
gine it to be a mark of their election, and perhaps 
to add other marks to themselves from mistaken 
Scriptures ; by which they increase their natural 
pride, self-conceit, and presumption, which defeat 
the good intention of God's grace towards them. 
Others, of a melancholy turn, when convicted and 
distressed in their minds for sin, are led, by this 
opinion, to think it a mark of personal reprobation, 
and thence into despondence, with all its dismal 
consequences. Thus, what the merciful Creator 
intends for men's benefit, they turn to their own 
great disadvantage. 

16. Whatever doctrine contradicts the evident 
sense of those clear and expressed portions of the 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 125 

sacred record, which by Divine commission, pro- 
fessedly and directly treat upon this point ; such doc- 
trine must be false, and ought to be rejected. It an- 
swers no good purpose to increase disputation about 
things hidden, or texts obscure and ambiguous ; but 
this is certain, and certainly to be relied upon, that 
where the Almighty plainly declares his will re- 
specting his creatures, he, who, cannot be mistaken, 
is surely to be credited in preference to the contra- 
positions of mistaken men, who presume to interpret 
his words so as to contradict his most clear, and most 
solemn asseverations. 

Through a misapprehension of the second com- 
mandment, the people of Israel, in Ezekiel's time, 
had espoused this reprobationary notion, that the 
children were punished for the sin of their parents ; 
so that it was become a maxim among them, '' The 
fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's 
teeth are set on edge.'' The prophet, therefore, was 
especially commissioned to declare God's immuta- 
ble will and determination in opposition thereto, 
''As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have 
occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Be- 
hold, all souls are mine : as the soul of the father, so 
also the soul of the son is mine ; the soul that sinneth 
it shall die.* The son shall not bear the iniquity of 
the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity 
of the son ; the righteousness of the righteous shall be 
upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall 

* Ezek. xviii, ver. 2 to 5. 
11* 



126 THE OKIGINAL AND 

be upon him.'^ — Yet ye say, the way of the Lord is 
not equal. Hear now, house of Israel ! Is not 
my way equal ? Are not your ways unequal ? 
When a righteous man turneth away from his 
righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth 
in it, for his iniquity that he hath done shall he 
die. Again, when the wicked man turneth aw^ay 
from his w^ickedness that he hath committed, and 
doth that which is law^ful and right, he shall save 
his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth 
away from his transgresssions that he hath commit- 
ted, he shall surely live, he shall not die.f — I will 
judge you, house of Israel, every one according 
to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn 
yourselves from all your transgressions ; so iniquity 
shall not be yoar ruin."| The prophet repeats more 
to the like purpose, both in this chapter, and in the 
33d. ''As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no 
pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the 
wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn 
ye from your evil ways ; for why will ye die, 
house of Israel ? § — Yet the children of thy people 
say, the way of the Lord is not equal ; but as for 
them, their way is not equal. When the righteous 
turneth from his righteousness, and committeth ini- 
quity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn 
from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and 
right, he shall live thereby." || 

It is manifest, the death denounced in these 

* Ezek. xviii. 20. f Ver. 25 to 29. J Verse SO. 

g Chap, xxxiii. 11. || Verse 17, 18, 19. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 127 

Scriptures, is not the coniinoii death of the body ; 
for in that respect, one event happeneth to the 
righteous and the wicked ; but that state of ever- 
lasting infelicity peculiar to those who go out of time 
into eternity, without repentance and regeneration. 

From all these express declarations, it evidently 
appears, that the Almighty " doth not afflict wil- 
lingly, nor grieve the children of men ;"* that he is 
not willing that any should perish, but that all 
should come to repentance. f These are all plain 
manifestations of the mind of God professedly on the 
point ; and to all who intend not to deny his up- 
rightness and veracity they ought to be decisive. 
The sins of men are placed to the account of their 
own will and not to the will of God, in that pathetic 
expostulation, Why will ye die ? And indeed, it is 
impossible he should will that which is a transgres- 
sion of his will. It is clear, he doth all that can be 
done by fair means to prevent it. By that pressing 
repetition. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, it 
is manifest, he puts it in the power of men to turn 
from them. Who then can justify their perverseness, 
by any way charging their sin, either immediately or 
remotely, to his account ? 

Men are not destroyed through any malevolence 
in their Creator towards them; but are saved by his 
grace, which he dispenseth to all from that unparal- 
leled benevolence, which ariseth purely from his in- 
finite goodness. Sinful man hath nothing to ojQfer ; 

* Lam. iii. 33. t 2 Pet. iii. 9. 



128 THE ORIGINAL AND 

God therefore, will have mercy, because he will 
have mercy ; because he is full of mercy, he will 
dispense it to his helpless and unworthy creatures. 
"I," saith he to the repenting sinner, "even I am 
he that blotteth out thy transgressions, for mine own 
sake, and will not remember thy sins."* 

17. Detachments of various texts and portions of 
Scripture, though indirect to the subject, and allu- 
ding to different considerations, have been pressed, 
and marshalled under divers colours, to fix a cruel 
partiality on our common Creator and benefactor. 
We are told, that he ordered the obstinacy of Pha- 
raoh, the sin and folly of Sihon, and the kings 
of Canaan, the treacherous rebellion of Zedekiah 
against the king of Babylon, the rapine and ravages 
of Nebuchadnezzar, fecf But, properly considered, 
this was ordering punishment for sin, not sin for 
punishment. He hardeneth none till they have har- 
dened themselves past all probability of repentance, 
and then he leaves them to the misrule of their own 
beloved lusts and vices ; and what are treated as 
unrighteous ravages, though really such in the com- 
mitters of them, are, respecting the Almighty, the 
righteous execution of his justice against those who 
have filled up their measure of iniquity, and abused 
his gracious goodness and long forbearance towards 
them, till he sees fit no longer to continue it to 
them. Thus he punisheth the settled wickedness of 
some, by the wickedness of their enemies, which he 

* Isa. xliii. 25. f Edwards, p, 358, &c. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 129 

permits to be turned upon them ; and afterwards 
proceeds in like manner with their chastisers, when 
they also have filled up their measure. 

I shall omit at present to proceed further with 
the Scriptures alleged against the universal exten- 
sion of Divine goodness to the souls of men ; and 
acknowledge my inability to conceive, what wise, 
holy, and most excellent ends and purposes could 
be answered, by the Almighty's disposing the state 
of events in such a manner, that sin will most cer- 
tainly and infallibly follow, and eternal misery to 
innumerable multitudes of his creatures in conse- 
quence ; and also* what glory can accrue to a being 
infinite in wisdom, power and goodness, from his 
continually creating immortal and reasonable crea- 
tures, with no better intention towards them, but 
that most barbarous one of irredeemable infelicity. 
I am also at a loss to discover what comfort can 
arise to a humane, virtuous and charitable mind, 
from such a cruel consideration. Those hearts 
must be very unfeeling for others, and their con- 
ceit in their own favour very strong, who, fancy- 
ing to themselves a personal election, can pride 
and console themselves in their own imagined se- 
curity, and the inequitable destruction of the major 
part of their species. Misled men, like the unpro- 
fitable servant, may imagine such unjust severity 
in the unchangeable perfection of equity ; but those 
who have the love of God shed abroad in their 
hearts, by the Holy Ghost, find it to flow freely to- 



130 THE ORIGINAL AND 

wards all mankind without exception, and to en- 
gage them to wish the salvation of all. This is a 
stronger proof to them of the universality of God's 
good-will to men, than all the sophistical reasonings 
of those who remain insensible of it, to the con- 
trary. 

18. It is impossible for God, who is most essen- 
tially and immutably justice and goodness itself, to 
act otherwise by his creatures, than according to 
justice and goodness ; and therefore, he cer- 
tainly doth not withhold, but affords his creatures 
the means necessary to their felicity. I believe his 
mercies are over all, and to all,* with a just and 
gracious intent towards them ; and that the univer- 
sal Redeemer purchased gifts for those who prove 
rebellious, as well as others, and that all are visited 
with a manifestation of his spirit, that they may 
profit by it ; and though they do lapse from the 
visiting power, and often lose the disposing assist- 
inces afforded them, he still follows them, time after 
time, in long forbearance, and often revisits them 
of his freely abounding grace and mercy, that they 
may be prevailed upon to come to repentance and 
be saved. 

19. We read, Isaiah Iv. 8, 9, ''My thoughts are 
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, 
saith the Lord ; for as the heavens are higher than 
the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, 
and my thoughts than your thoughts.'' And chapter 
xl. 28, the prophet saith, " There is no searching of 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 131 

his understanding." Yet our Christian fatalists ap- 
pear to think themselves wise enough to discover the 
very precise mode and manner of God's prescience ; 
and because they can see but one way how omniscience 
should foreknow, ttiey seem to conclude there can be 
no other in the unlimited expanse of infinite ability. 
But, " Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who 
hath been his counsellor ?"* To whom hath he revealed 
those unsearchable and incomprehensible secrets of 
the Divine essence, which belong to himself only ? 

A due degree of modesty would teach us, there is 
something in the mode and manner of infinite compre- 
hension, as much bej^ond the reach of our limited 
capacities, as the extent of omniscience itself; and 
attempts to unveil inscrutable mysteries, are more 
evident demonstrations of human presumption and 
folly, than of wisdom and piety. Are those men sure 
there is no way possible for God to know, but what is 
open to the perception of their imperfect modicum of 
reason ? The arguments they ground upon this im- 
aginary foundation, are suflScient to impeach their 
basis ; for they carry an evident face of falsehood. 
They ultimately and unavoidably render the undeni- 
able source of all good, and centre of all perfection, 
the real and intentional author of all imperfection, 
vice and wickedness, and all the misery consequent 
thereupon ; which it is impossible for unchangeable 
truth and goodness to be. ''Wilt thou,'' saith he, 
disannul my judgment ? Wilt thou condemn me, that 

* Rom. xi 34. 



132 THE ORIGINAL AND 

thou mayest be righteous ?"* " God forbid," saith the 
apostle, " yea, let God be true, but every man a liar."f 
From the certainty of the premises the certainty 
of the conclusion ariseth. From uncertain premises 
no certain conclusion can be drawn. There is some- 
thing in the Divine prescience vfhich always hath been, 
and is ever likely to remain-an impenetrable secret to 
human understanding. What no man knows, no man 
can properly argue from. We know the Divine being 
is but one essence, perfectly pure and simple. One 
eternal, immutable, central power, making and sup- 
porting all other beings, and operating variously ac- 
cording to the subjects, and the state of the subjects 
of its operation ; but never contrarily towards subjects 
in the same condition. As all souls are equally his 
immediate creation, no just reason can be advanced 
why he, who is righteous in all his ways, and holy or 
merciful in all his works, J should deal so unequally 
with them, as to predetermxine some to eternal happi- 
ness, and others to inevitable misery. Mere will and 
pleasure, implies an unaccountable severity, though 
under the guise of sovereignty. The condemnation 
of men, according to our Saviour, is neither the fruit 
of God's previous decree, nor his preterition ; for, 
''this is the condemnation, that light is come into the 
world, but men loved darkness rather than light, 
because their deeds were evil."§ 

* Job. xl. 8. t ^om. iii. 4. J Psal. cxlv. 17. g John hi. 19. 



PEESENT STATE OF MAN. 133 



CHAPTER XI. 

1. The sufficiency of the spirit of Christ, for the instruction of his ration- 
al creation asserted, but it is not limited to the Scriptures nor to any- 
other instrumental means. 2. The Scriptures not clearly and fully 
understood without the illumination of the spirit that gave them forth. 
3. Authors cited to this purpose. 4. Barclay's assertion defended 
5. No disagreement cr clashing in the different degrees of Divine 
evidence. 6. The infallibility of the Scriptures as given forth by the 
spirit, and the fallibility of human understanding concerning them. 
7. None but the Divine author able to ascertain his own sense in the 
Scriptures. 8. The Scriptures rightly understood, a rule ; but not the 
sole, the primary, and universal rule. The holy spirit alone is such. 
9. The Scriptures allowed to be the primary written rule, to which, 
in all disputes we therefore refer, as well as others; but the imme- 
diate illumination of God's spirit, is a more certain criterion to each 
individual in his own breast. 



1. Chkist is with his true followers, and will be 
to the end of the world. To say, he is always with 
them in the Scriptures, appears to me too great a 
strain of language for truth to accompany. If the 
spirit of Christ be so connected with the text, as 
always to attend it, 1 apprehend no sincere and 
sensible reader could mistake the sense of it, nor 
any such differ to an opposition of each other about 
it ; yet what is more common ? We have frequent- 
ly experienced, and always allowed, that the spirit 
of truth often useth, and openeth truth by the Scrip- 
tures, as an instrumental means ; and we also as- 
sert, that the same spirit often hath opened truths, 
given a sense of their conditions, and administered 
12 



134 THE ORIGINAL AND 

help to sincere and attentive minds, without the in- 
strumentality of the Scriptures. This is the univer- 
sal gospel-privilege, foretold by Jeremiah through 
Divine inspiration. '' I will put my law in their in- 
ward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be 
their God and they shall be my people. And they 
shall teach no more," of necessity, "every man his 
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know 
ye the Lord; for they shall all know me," each man 
for himself, " from the least of them to the greatest of 
them, saith the Lord."* 

It is rationally to be understood, that this Divine 
internal teacher, is so absolutely bound to the instru- 
mentality of Scripture, in his immediate legation to 
the soul of man, that he never opens or instructs with- 
out it ? The text implies no such matter. The apostle 
John, Anno Dom. 90, treats of this immediate teach- 
er under the title of an unction from the holy One. 
" Ye have an unction from the holy One, and ye 
know all things. "f That is, I take it, ye have the 
spirit, which as you attend to it, gives you a right dis- 
cerning of all things that concern you ; for, '^ The 
anointing which ye have received from him, abi- 
deth in you, and ye need not that any man teach 
you ; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all 
things, and is truth/' the spirit of truth, " and is no 
lie; and even, as it hath taught you, ve shall abide 
in him or it." This shows the complete sufficiency 

* Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. f 1 John ii. 20, 27. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 135 

of this inward, immediate instructor, without any 
instrumentality of an exterior kind. The eternal 
spirit of truth cannot stand in need of any such as- 
sistance ; consequently, is not to be understood as 
confined to any, but operates either by the Scrip- 
tures, or without them, at his pleasure. 

God hath always afforded instruction to his peo- 
ple ; but his teachings by the law to the Jews, were 
through instrumental means. The prophet declares, 
this new covenant of the gospel should not be ac- 
cording to the old covenant of the law ; it should 
not consist of instrumental teaching, though that 
might be occasionally used ; for God himself would 
put his law in their inward parts. "^ This implies 
his own immediate communication to the soul, of 
that law which is not according to the literal nature 
of the old covenant, but is really and truly, the law 
of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus ; the illuminating 
quickening law, immediately and mentally given to 
man by the spirit of life itself; which therefore is, 
and ever must be, the constitutional establishment 
of the gospel dispensation. 

Isaiah, in a prophetic address to the gospel 
church, saith, '' all thy children shall be taught of 
the Lord."t In reference to this, and other like 
prophecies, our Saviour saith, " It is written in the 
prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. 
Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath 
learned of the Father, cometh unto me. "J And in 

* Jer. xxsi. 31, 32 f Isa. liv. 13. J John vi. 45. 



136 THE ORIGINAL AND 

the preceding verse lie saith, '^ no man can como 
to me except the Father who hath sent me, draw 
him."* This drawing, hearing and learning of the 
Father, and coming to Christ, are all spiritually to 
be understood ; as I have shown in the former part 
of this discourse. This doctrine is witnessed to, 
1 Thes, iv. 8, 9. Beginning with those who had so 
little understanding of it, as to treat it with con- 
tempt, the apostle declares, ''he therefore that de- 
spiseth, despiseth not man, but God who hath also 
given unto us his holy spirit. But as touching bro- 
therly-love, ye need not that I write unto you ; for 
ye yourselves are taught of God, to love one 
another.'' The apostle was then writing to them 
mediately from God, by Divine inspiration; and he 
makes a manifest difference between this mediate 
manner of teaching, and what he intended by their 
being taught of God ; the direct and obvious sense 
of which is, God's own immediate illumination and 
instruction. 

By necessary consequence from these premises, 
and abundance more that might be added from the 
Scriptures, it appears to be both an experimental 
and a Scriptural truth that God teacheth immedi- 
ately by his spirit, as w^ell as instrumentally by 
external means ; and that this is an indispensable 
doctrine of the gospel. 

2. Man without Divine illumination, has not suf- 
ficient ability to ascertain the genuine sense of 

* John vi. 44. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 137 

doubtful and disputed texts; wliich being very nu- 
merous, together with the diversity of senses where- 
in those texts are understood, by persons apparent- 
ly of equal sincerity and of the best natural and 
acquired parts, under the same, as well as diflferent 
denominations, are plain indications that the assist- 
ance of the Divine author himself is requisite to the 
right understanding of them. Man's reason is too 
much clouded and biassed by his passions and pre- 
possessions, to be justly denominated right reason; 
and its diversity concerning spiritual matters, and 
its mutability in the same person is very evident. 
Right reason is truth, unchangeably the same, and 
incapable of error, and therefore exists only in the 
Divine nature ; which men must, in measure, become 
partakers of, in order to the rectification of their 
fallen and fallible reason. 

Respecting the Scriptures, we are so far from 
lessening them, or opposing the true sense of them, 
that w^e verily believe, and sincerely assert, that the 
holy spirit, in what degree of illumination soever it 
appears, never can contradict them ; for difference in 
degree makes no contrariety. It is the private, or 
particular interpretation of man without Divine illu- 
mination, that we object to, as insufficient to assure 
the sense of disputed Scriptures. Besides man's na- 
tural inability, the various prejudices, the prevailing 
passions, the different interests, and the diverse leaders 
of the people, all contribute to give different and 
sometimes opposite senses of the sacred texts. Manj 
12* 



138 THE ORIGINAL AND 

have the words of the spirit in Scripture, who have 
not the mind of the spirit in their hearts. 

3. Neither nature nor education can give a man 
the sense of the Holy Grhost ; nor, of consequence, 
interpret its expressions with certainty. It is there- 
fore truly asserted, not only by the Quakers, but also 
by abundance of distinguished writers of various pro- 
fessions, ancient and modern, that the internal illumi- 
nation of God's holy spirit is absolutely necessary to 
every man, in order to his right understanding of the 
Scriptures. Let me advance a few out of many more 
now before me. 

" The holy Scriptures, opened by the holy spirit, 
show Christ unto us ; the holy spirit is therefore the 
opener of the Scriptures." Theophylact in Joan 10. 

" What men set forth from human sense may be 
perceived by the wit of man ; but what is set forth 
by the inspiration of the Divine spirit, requires an 
interpreter inspired with the like spirit." Erasmus, 
Paraph, in 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. And Coll. in Ixthuopha- 
gia prope Finem, he says, " They expound the sacred 
writings from the pulpit, which no man can either 
rightly understand, or profitably teach without the 
inspiration of the holy spirit. 

"The Scriptures are of no private interpretation; 
i. e. not of every private man's interpretation out 
of his own brain, because they were dictated by 
the Holy Ghost; and by the Holy Ghost, the mean- 
ing of the Holy Ghost in them, only can be ex- 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 139 

pounded." Obad. Watker's Disc, concerning the spi- 
rit of Martin Luther, p. 97. 

.*' The Scriptures are not to be understood, but by 
the same spirit by which they are written." Luther, 
Oper. Tom. 2. p. 309. 

''The spirit of God, from whom the doctrine of 
the gospel proceeds, is the only true interpreter to 
open it to us." Calvin's Com. in 1 Cor. ii. 14. 

" The apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 2, that the Scrip- 
ture cannot be apprehended and understood but by 
the holy spirit." Zanchius, De Sacra Scriptura, Tom. 
viii. p. 430. 

" The things of the spirit of God, are understood 
and perceived by the powerful inspiration of the holy 
spirit alone." Beza, Annotat. in 1 Cor. ii. 14. 

"As the Scriptures were written by the spirit of 
God, so must they be expounded by the same. For, 
without that spirit, we have neither ears to hear, 
nor eyes to see. It is that spirit that openeth, and 
no man shutteth, the same shutteth and no man 
openeth." Bish. Jewel's Defence of the Apology, 
p. 72. 

" The outward reading of the word, without the 
inward working of his spirit, is nothing. The pre- 
cise pharisees, the learned scribes, read the Scrip- 
tures over and over again ; they not only read them 
in books, but wore them on their garments ; they . 
were not only taught, but were able to teach others. 
But because this heavenly teacher had not instruct- 
ed them, their understanding was darkened; their 



140 THE ORIGINAL AND 

knowledge was but vanity." Archbp. Sandys's Ser 
mons, printed 1616, p. 48. 

" The holy men of God spake as they were mov-ed 
by the Holy Ghost; it foUoweth, that all the Scrip- 
ture ought to be expounded by God, because it is in- 
spired of God — We do acknowledge, that all means 
are vain, unless the Lord give eyes to see ; to whom 
therefore, the prophet made his prayer ; Open mine 
eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy law."* Rain- 
old's Conference with Hart, p. 81. 

" The internal light whereby we come to see the 
sense of the Scripture, is the holy spirit.'' Weemse's 
Christian Synagogue, lib. i. p. 31. 

" The anointing of the holy spirit teacheth the 
faithful to understand those truths, which they have 
received from the apostles." Amesius, Bellarm. ener- 
vatus. Lib. i. c. v. n. 32. p. 60. 

" It is not possible that supernatural knowledge 
/should be rightly received, without supernatural light." 
Era. Rous Interiora regni Dei Coelest Academ. chap, 
ii. p. 12. 

'' God is the author of all Divine truth, and of the 
discovery of it made to us. An inward enlightening 
and irradiating the mind by the holy spirit, is abso- 
lutely necessary for the apprehending of the Divine 
mysteries, which are contained in the doctrines of the 
gospel." John Edward's Free Disc, concerning truth 
and error, p. 481. 

'' In regeneration the understanding is illuminated 

^ Psal. cxix. 18. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 141 

by the holy spirit, that it may understand both the 
mysteries and will of God." The Helvetian Confes- 
sion, and 'Expos. Fidei Christianas, chap. ix. 

'' The gift of interpreting Scripture, is not of hu- 
man prudence, but of the Holy Ghost." Wirtem- 
bergica Confessio, de Sacra Scriptura, in Corp. 
Confess. 

'' We acknowledge the inward illumination of the 
spirit of God, to be necessary for the saving under- 
standino* of such thino-s as are revealed in the word." 
Confession of faith by the Assembly of Divines at 
Westminster, since approved by the Kirk of Scotland, 
and the same with that of the Independents, and 
particular Baptists. 

Barclay's assertion, that neither the Scriptures, 
nor the natural reason of man, are a more noble, 
or certain rule or touchstone, than the immediate 
revelation of God's holy spirit, relates only to such 
as are sensible of its immediate revelations, and to 
the evidence of these revelations in the parties 
themselves to whom they are immediate. To these 
he asserts, they are more noble, because Divine ; 
and more certain, because immediate, than their 
own private interpretation of Scriptures, by reading 
and study, without the illumination of the holy 
spirit, can be. The spirit only can ascertain the 
sense it intends. Sometimes it communicates a 
literal, sometimes an allegorical sense, a direct, or 
an allusive sense, a theoretical, or an experimental 
sense. Men are liable to mistake one for another; 



142 THE OBIGINAL A^D 

and without a sense of the spirit, must often miss of 
the mind of the spirit. 

In the next proposition, Barclay demonstrates the 
truth of his assertion, by showing from 1 Cor. xil. 
12, &c., that though the body or church of Christ is 
one, It is composed of many members, who have each 
their several services appointed, and directed by the 
holy spirit In that body ; and each must therefore 
attend to the spirit for his own proper direction. He 
afterwards Instances the special duties of particu- 
lars In the church. Barclay therefore gives frequent 
advices, to a waiting for, and due attention to, the 
holy spirit. 

We are well apprized of, and have always as- 
serted, that greater and less degrees of Divine Il- 
lumination have been communicated to different 
persons ; but we also believe, there cannot be any 
contrariety, clashing, or dissonance in any of Its de- 
grees ; because It Is from one and the same spirit ; 
and In v/hat degree soever It appears. It speaks one 
and the same thing In point of congruity, and car- 
ries Its own Divine authority with It In every de- 
gree. Hence, to suppose a disagreement between 
one degree of It and another, whilst It can differ in 
nothing but degree. Is untrue and absurd. As to 
our own, or any man's own pretended, or any pre- 
tended Divine revelations, we utterly and equally dis- 
claim them, as being of any authority, or advantage 
whatsoever; for such mere pretensions are alto- 
gether as unequal to discover and assure the true 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 143 

sense of dubious parts of Scripture, as the unenlight- 
ened reason of the natural man. It is a vain thino; in 
any person to pretend he has the true sense of the holy 
Scriptures, whilst his performances demonstrate his 
mistakes concerning it. 

6. When any press their own particular opinion 
of the sense of any part of Scripture, as the true 
sense of the Holy Ghost, yet deny all sense of the 
Holy Ghost in their hearts, who that observes a 
diversity of senses amongst these can give credit to 
their assertions ? But they allege, the Scripture is 
infallible. I allow it ; but how is its true sense to 
be infallibly conveyed to every reader ? By human 
study and instruction ? That has led into all the 
diflferences and disagreements about it. The plain 
truth of the matter is, nothing but the spirit of 
Divine wisdom, whence the Scripture came, can give 
the genuine sense of it. For, ^' The things of God 
knoweth no man, but the spirit of God."* What is 
the infallibility of Scripture to him, who has not the 
infallible sense of it ? If all had this, who have the 
Scriptures, none could mistake them, nor differ with 
each other about them ; yet it is too manifest, by the 
differences among Christians, they do mistake 
them. This is not to be imputed to any defect in the 
sacred writings, but to the common unfitness of men's 
understandings to discover the right sense of them. 
What then can open it to man's capacity but the holy 
spirit ? 

* 1 Cor. ii. 11. 



144 THE ORIGINAL AND 

The question is not, whether the Scriptures, as 
written by Divine inspiration, are infallibly right, 
for such must be so; but whether every one that 
reads them, is able infallibly to understand them ? 
To pretend, if they are not clearly to be understood 
without the assistance of the spirit, they are given 
in vain, is to contradict the Scripture, which de- 
clares that, '' the manifestation of the spirit is given 
to every man to profit withal.""^ It may as truly 
be asserted, that the Divine being, whilst he knows 
we are in darkness, gives us a chart to direct our 
way, and at the same time witholds the light, by 
which alone we can discover its true contents ; which 
is merely to mock and tantalise us, and also to render 
our situation worse than that of the Jews ; for all the 
written precepts of their law were plain and evident. 
Yet God gave them of his good spirit to instruct 
them ;t all the written doctrines of the gospel are not 
so, and is not the holy spirit as requisite to us as it 
was to them ? 

7. Scripture doctrines are of divers classes. They 
exhibit just morals, and benevolent conduct between 
man and man, in a manner superior to the best ethic 
writers in all ages and nations. These are gene- 
rally and justly allowed to be of natural, universal, 
and unalterable , obligation, and are sufficiently plain 
and clear to the common sense of every man. But 
matters relating to faith and worship, having ad- 
mitted of many circumstantial additions and alter- 

* 1 Cor. xii. 7. t Neh. ix. 7. 



PRESENT STAfE OE MAN. 145 

ations, according to the difir-rent dispensations of Di- 
vine wisdom, have not been so level to men's under- 
standings, nor have they been so united in judgment 
concerning them, as in the case of moral duties. 

Ever since the collected publication of the New 
Testament, differences in opinion about the true 
sense, especially in matters of faith, have subsisted 
and abounded ; and what can determine these dif- 
ferences ? The learned A. saith, such a text means 
so and so. The learned B. asserts, it is to be ac- 
cepted in a different, perhaps a contrary sense. 
They apply to the context, and remain still as dif- 
ferent in opinion, and as positive of being in the 
right. They recur from text to text, and from critic 
to commentator, till they have exhausted every one 
they can find or force to their purpose, and still re- 
main equally, if not more at a distance than at the 
beginning. What is there left to determine the 
matter ? Will churches or councils do it ? They 
jangle from year to year, or from age to age, and 
leave the difference as wide as they found it. The 
true sense still remains only with the Divine author 
of the disputed texts, and he alone is able to com- 
municate it. Would it not be a wild presumption 
in either A. or B. to boast that he will try his oppo- 
nent's opinion by the true sense of the spirit, and at 
the same time deny, that either himself, or man, 
can have any real sense of the spirit ? I have not 
here supposed a nonentity, but a case that has sub- 
sisted for a great many centuries ; and which must 
13 



146 THE ORIGINAL AND 

always continue, whilst men prefer their own pre- 
judices, imaginations, and reasonings, to the inter- 
nal leadings of the spirit of truth. 

8. We hold the Scriptures to be a rule to all that 
have them, so far as they have a right understand- 
ing of them, and also that they are adequate to the 
purpose intended by them ; but we cannot aver, they 
are the sole, the primary, and the universal director 
of mankind in matters of religious duty. 1. They 
are not the sole director ; because the spirit of God 
in the heart and conscience of man is also an un- 
deniable director. 2. They are not the primary 
director ; because the illumination of the holy spirit 
that gave them forth, is requisite to open the true 
sense of those numerous parts of them, about which 
the apprehensions of men so much differ. The 
spirit also from which the Scriptures came, is ori- 
ginal, and therefore primary to them ; and as the 
spirit only can open its own true sense included in 
them, they are secondary to the spirit, as an instru- 
ment in its hand. 3. They are not the universal 
director ; because it is not probable that one in ten, 
if one in twenty, of mankind, have ever had the 
opportunity of possessing them. Seeing therefore 
this is the case, they cannot properly be pronounced, 
the complete, adequate, universal rule of mankind. 

Hence we esteem them the secondary rule or 
guide of Christians ; which being divinely commu- 
nicated for the use of all to whom they may come, 
and also being intrinsically superior in excellence to 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 147 

all other writings, we prefer them above all others, 
and as 'thankfully accept, and as comfortably use 
them, as any people upon earth ; verily believing, 
with the holy apostle, that they " were written for 
our learning, that, we, through patience, and comfort 
of the Scriptures might have hope."* 

This is not to depreciate the Scriptures, but to 
hold them in their proper place, and due superiority 
to the works of men, and subordination to their 
Supreme Communicator, and only sure expounder. 
For the holy spirit is requisite to the use of them, 
as the agent to the instrument ; and what is an in- 
strument without a hand to guide and enforce it? 
And which is superior, the agent or the instrument ? 
The holy spirit is the original wisdom whence the 
Scriptures came, and the sole power that can open, 
and give right effects to them ? The spirit of truth 
is given to guide into all truth ;f is the only thing 
that can do it, and consequently the supreme guide 
afforded to mankind. It is both unwarrantable and 
irrational, to assert any thing else is the sole or 
primary director, whilst the spirit of God is com- 
municated for that purpose. 

The same Scripture- truths appear as differently 
to each person, as their understandings differ one 
from another. Human intellects therefore must be 
rectified, to enable them to see those truths in the 
same sense. The rectifier is the spirit of truth, 
which alone can unite them in the true sense. 

* Horn. XV. 4. t John xvi. 13. 



148 THE ORIGINAL AND 

We stick not to style the Scriptures collectively, 
a divine, or Christian rule ; but we object to call 
them, The rule of faith and practice ; lest that should 
be understood to imply we are to look for nothing 
further to be our guide or leader. The Scriptures 
themselves abundantly testify, there is something 
superior to them Avhich all ought to look for, and 
attend unto ; that is, the holy spirit of the Supreme 
Legislator of men, and prime Author of the sacred 
writings ; in and by whose light and power they are 
made in strum entally useful, and adequate to the pur- 
poses intended by them. Like a good sun-dial, they 
are true and perfect in their kind, that is, as writings ; 
but, respecting the parts differently understood, they 
may justly bear the same motto with the dial : Non 
sine lumine,^ For as the dial, without the cast of the 
sun-beams, has not its proper use, to tell the time of 
the day ; neither doth the ambiguous text answer its 
true end, infallibly to communicate the mind of the 
holy spirit to different understandings, except the 
luminous beams of the Sun of righteousness discover 
it to the attentive mind. 

9. Our opposers call the Scriptures the primary 
rule. We allow it is the primary written rule, and 
in all disputes betwixt them and us, we abide by its 
decision, according to our understanding of the sense 
of it, which they profess to do likewise by theirs. 
In all public differences therefore we refer inten- 
tionally to the same rule with them. But we have 

* Not without light. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 149 

both plain Scripture and experience to support our 
belief, that respecting the particular duty of indi- 
viduals, every one hath in his own breast, a nearer 
and more certain rule or guide of conscience than 
the Scriptures ; the manifestation of the spirit given 
to every man to profit withal ; which, duly observed, 
gives a right interpretation of Scripture, so far as 
is necessary for them, and also the truest sense of 
each particular person's duty to him. When a per- 
son feels the faithful witness of God in his conscience 
condemning him for what is wrong, and approving 
him for what is right, does he not find it to speak 
more clearly, particularly, and convictingly to his 
case and state, than he can read it in the Scriptures ? 
Can he then conclude, that this truly-distinguishing 
and most striking witness, is less than that spirit of 
truth, or comforter, which convinceth the world of 
sin, of righteousness, and of judgment ?* 

When Christ, after his resurrection, opened the 
understandings of his disciples that they might un- 
derstand the Scriptures, t was not the divine illumi- 
nation in their understandings, a more clear, certain 
and superior evidence of the sense of them, than all 
their reading and study could have afforded them, 
without such illumination ? Are mankind now be- 
come so much more wise and penetrating, than 
those who for years had the benefit of hearing him 
who is perfect in wisdom, that they have no need 
of his assistance to open their understanding? Or 
* John xvi. 8. f Luke xxiv. 45, 



150 THE ORIGINAL AND 

is their school and college learning so perfect, as to 
render God's illumination quite needless ? Are the 
innumerable clashings and janglings of the book- 
learned about the sense of Scripture, a proof of the 
unity of their sentiments, and the verity of their 
sense of disputed texts? If so, discord may be a 
proof of harmony, and fighting of agreement. 

It is certain, without divine illumination, every 
reader of texts of a dubious sense, accepts them in 
the sense his prepossessions make for him ; which is 
the cause of the innumerable differences amongst pro- 
fessing Christians. R. Barclay therefore justly de- 
nies that Divine inward revelations are to be subject- 
ed to the test either of the outward testimony of the 
Scriptures, or of the natural reason of man, as to a 
more noble, or certain rule or touchstone. 



CHAPTER XII. 

1. The 2 Tim. iii. 15. &c. explained. 2. What true Gospel-faith 
comprehends. 

1. The apostle writing to his beloved brother in 
Christ, Timothy, who in his former epistle, he styles 
a man of God, addresses him in particular with this 
expression : '^ From a child thou hast known the 
holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise 
unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ 
Jesus. *A11 Scripture given by inspiration of God. 

* I cite this as it ought to be translated. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 151 

Is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
for instruction in righteousness, that the man of 
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all 
good works/'* To add wisdom to the man of God, 
the regenerate man, in order to his perfection in 
Divine knowledge, appears to me a very different 
thing from the making a sinful corrupt man holy, 
or turning a gross and miserable sinner into a saint ; 
for this, according to Scripture, is the peculiar 
work of the holy spirit ; as I have already made 
appear. 

The Scriptures Timothy had been instructed in 
from his childhood, could hardly be any other than 
those of the Old Testament ; and all they could here 
be meant to do for the man of God, must be to afford 
him instruction in the way of righteousness ; to add 
to his own experience, the experiences of those before 
him in that line. For to suppose they were sufficient 
to regenerate and perfect the sinful corrupt man, is 
more than they are able now to do, even with the New 
Testament added to them. 

The sinful corrupt man is certainly he that abides 
in sinful practices ; and the apostle saith, '^ He that 
committeth sin is of the devil."t 

I judge this a proper opportunity to caution against 
such corrupt and dangerous positions as some have 
publicly avowed. 

1. That man, at the same time he is actually un- 
righteous in himself, is righteous in Christ. That 

* 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, VI. f 1 J^^hn ill. r! 



152 THE ORIG ^^AL AND 

is, he is not what he is i' realiry, but what he per- 
suades himself to be, by a fe\re ire agination concern- 
ing the sacrifice of Christ , lii € that generation who 
are pure in their own eyes, jtt are not washed from 
their filthiness.* 

2. That the Supreme essence of immutable 
truth, looks upon man in a ftvb^ light ; esteeming 
him pure, whilst he knows k'm to be sinful and 
corrupt. 

3. That Christ, the truth, is a false medium, 
showing the states of men contvary to what they 
are in reality. 

4. That man is the servant of Christ whilst he is 
under the influence of Antichrist ; Ih^t he is imputa- 
tively holy, whilst he is ruled by the author of pollu- 
tion, the adversary of all holiness ; anvl that he is acting 
in the will of God, w^iilst he is doing the works of the 
devil ; notwithstanding we read, '' To whom ye yield 
yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to 
whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto do^ ih, or obedi- 
ence unto righteousness. "f 

It is a vain delusion for any to expect, that purity 
in the highest perfection should unite ^ith them, 
whilst they remain in the very cause of neparation 
from him. Sin made the separation at first, and 
the continuance of it continues the separation. If 
it be queried, Did not Christ die to re^^oncile sin- 
ners to God ? I answer, yes ; but not to reconcile 
God to sin, nor to save sin. He sufi*ered net .'" ^ur- 

* Prov. XXX. 12. t Rom. vi. 1^ 



PEESENT STATE OF MAN. 153 

ctase a license for sinners to continue such, but to 
open the way for them to come to repentance, 
through the gift of God procured by him ; for, saith 
he, '' Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."* 
He came, not to uphold, but to destroy the works of 
the devil ; which include all manner of sin and corrup- 
tion. ''Know ye not," saith the man of God, ''that 
the unrio-hteous shall not inherit the kinoj-dom of God ? 
Be not deceived ; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, 
nor adulterers, nor eifeminate, nor abusers of them- 
selves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor 
drunkards, nor revilers, nor exertion ers, shall inherit 
the kingdom of God."f The notion of imputative right- 
eousness to such as remain in the commission of these 
evils, therefore, is a vain and pernicious error. 

We must die to sin, or we cannot live to God ; and 
in proportion as we die to sin, we live in Christ, and 
no further. We must put on Christ, by true faith and 
obedience, which are never separate ; for that is a 
false faith, which abides in, or satisfies, any without 
obedience. " Faith without works is dead,"J saith the 
servant of Christ ; and show me thy faith without 
thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my 
works. "§ 

The law saith, do, or avoid, this, and live. The 
gospel not only forbids the outward act, but also 
restrains the inward desire and motion towards it. 
The law saith. Thou shalt not kill ; nor commit 

^ Luke xiii. 5. f 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 

X James ii. 20. g James ii. 18. 



154 THE ORIGINAL AND 

adultery ; nor forswear thyself, &c. The gospel 
commands, give not place to anger ; thou shalt not 
lust ; swear not at all, &c. In this manner, the 
gospel destroys not the moral law, but fulfils it ; by 
taking away the ground of sinful acts, and laying 
the axe of the spirit to the root of corruption. 

Can the considerate imagine, that the everlasting 
source of wisdom and might, can be at a loss how 
to expel Satan's kingdom in man whilst upon earth ? 
Or can they think him so delighted with men's 
offences against his purity and goodness, as to w^ill 
that satan should reign over his creatures to the 
last moment of their lives ? Is it not more to his 
glory to deliver from the power of evil, and to save 
both from sin here, and misery hereafter, than to 
save only from wretchedness in futurity ? Is a part 
greater than the whole? Or, is an incomplete 
deliverance preferable, or more glorious, than that 
which is perfect ? 

When doctrines opposite to purification of heart, 
and holiness of life, are industriously propagated, it 
stands every one in hand to be alarmed, lest, by 
giving place to them in their minds, they become 
blinded through the deceitfulness of sin ; which w^ill 
centre them at last in a fool's paradise, instead of 
the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, into which 
nothing that defileth, that worketh abominatioUj or 
maketh a lie, shall in anywise enter.* 

2. The ability in the Scriptures, as before cited, 

* Rev. xxi. 27. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 155 

to enlarge the man of God in saving wisdom, the 
apostle saith, is through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

What true gospel faith is, let us a little consider. 
As the entrance of the Divine word quickeneth the 
soul, so it first communicates a degree of faith, 
through which it operates ; for true faith is the gift 
of God,"^ and the holj spirit is the spirit of faith ;t 
which is not a bare belief of truths concerning 
Christ, but a faith in him. J The faith in Christ is 
not comprised in giving credit to narrations and 
doctrines, and a mode of practice framed by the 
wisdom of men upon it ; for that centres short of 
the essential substance of faith. Gospel faith in man 
believes the truth of all that is revealed by the 
spirit, both in the heart, and in the sacred writings : 
because it feels it, savours it, and is one with it. It 
not only assents to the Scriptural accounts of the in- 
carnation and whole process of Christ in Judea ; but 
it also receives his internal appearance, consents to 
his operation, and concurs with it. 

That faith which stands wholly upon hearsay, 
tradition, reading, or imagination, is but a distant 
kind of ineffectual credence, which permits the soul 
to remain in the bondage of corruption. The wicked 
may go this length towards gospel faith ; but the 
true faith lays hold of, and cleaves to the spirit 
of truth, in its inward manifestations ; wherein 
it stands, and whereby it grows, till the heart is 

* 1 Cor. xii. 9. and Col. ii. 12. f 2 Cor. iv. 13. 

J 2 Tim. iii. 17. 



166 THE ORIGINAL AND 

purified, the world overcome, and salvation ob- 
tained. 

This faith is as a flame of pure love in the heart 
to God. It presseth towards him, panteth after him, 
resigns to him, confides and lives in him. The mys- 
tery of it is held in a pure conscience,* and in the 
effective power of the everlasting gospel ; whence the 
Christian dispensation, in holy writ, is often distin- 
guished from the exterior dispensation of the Mosaic 
law, and the prior administration of angels in visible 
appearances, by the appellation of Faith. 

Though the term faith is occasionally used by 
the penmen of Scripture in divers, yet not contrary, 
but consistent senses, this seems to be the one 
standing faith mentioned, Eph. iv. 5, which is in 
Christ Jesus, as it is the fruit of his grace and good 
spirit in the heart. Through this the Scriptures 
become effectually instructive to the man of God, 
and helpful to the real Christian in the way of life 
and salvation. It is the faith by which the members 
of Christ truly live, and abide as such. It is their 
invincible shield ; and the knowledge of Christ in 
them is the proof of their possessing it.f Abundance 
is said of the nature, power, and effects of this all- 
conquering faith ; but I hope this will be sufficient 
to show, though, in its complete sense, it includes a 
belief of all that is said of Christ, and by Christ, in 
holy writ, it goes deeper, and ariseth not in man 

* 1 Tim. iii. 9. f ^om. i. 17. Gal. ii. 20. and iii. 11 Heb 
X. 38. Eph. vi. 16. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Heb. xi. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 157 

merely from the man, but takes its birth, and receives 
its increase from the operation of the holy spirit in 
him ; which works by it to the sanctification of the 
heart, and the production of every Christian virtue. 



CHAPTER Xril. 

1. Spiritual things how understood. The true gospel shown. 2. Con- 
cerning the economy of the Quakers, wherein the nature and manner 
of their worship is explained. 3. The Scriptures placed in their pro- 
per light. 4. Concerning revelation objective and subjective, imme- 
diate and instrumental. 

1. " The things of God knoweth no man, but the 
spirit of God;"* therefore the apostle declares, "We 
have received, not the spirit of the world, but the 
spirit which is of God ; that we might know the 
things that are freely given to us of God."f "But 
the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit 
of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither 
can he know them, because they are spiritually dis- 
cerned."! Hence it is clear, that he who hath not 
the knowledge of spiritual things by the manifesta- 
tion of the spirit of God, hath not the true knowledge 
of them, imagine what he wdll of his other acquire- 
ments ; and he must find himself at last upon the 
sandy foundation of vain opinion. 

The apostle follows this by asserting, " The spirit- 

* 1 Cor. ii. 11. t Verse 12. J Verse 14 

14 



158 THE ORIGINAL AND 

ual man judgeth all things."* That is, the man who 
is rendered spiritual, by the renewing influence of 
the holy spirit, has, through the shining of Divine 
light upon his mind, a clear discerning of all those 
spiritual matters it concerns him to know ; which it 
is impossible for the natural man rightly to com- 
prehend. 

We read, that '^ life and immortality are brought 
to light by the gospel, "f But what is this life and 
immortality ? Did not mankind believe in a future 
state before the incarnation of Christ ? Yes, cer- 
tainly. Both Jews and Gentiles believed and held 
the truth of it. What life and immortality then is 
that which is peculiar to the gospel, and which it is 
its peculiar property to unveil ? It consists not 
wholly in the relation of the external procedure and 
doctrines of our Lord, but mainly in that spiritual 
gift he procured for us through his sufferings, which 
is the life and power that the immortal spirit of God 
manifests in the believing and obedient soul ; that 
spirit which quickens those who have been dead in 
trespasses and sins, and therein alienated from the 
life of God. J The very essence of the gospel, is the 
issuing forth of this spirit of life to the hearts of 
men. ''Keep thy heart with all diligence," saith 
the wise man, "for out of it are the issues of life."§ 
This teacheth that these living issues arise in the 
heart of man, but not from the heart itself. Was 
it so, the heart or soul would be its own quickener 

* 1 Cor. ii. 15. t 2 Tim. i. 10. t Eph. iv. 18. § Prov. iv. 23 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 159 

and saviour, and Christ would be excluded as such ; 
but he alone is the way, the truth, and the life ;* 
therefore the issuings of life to the heart are from 
the spirit, and in and through it by his spirit. The 
Divine influence of it is the life of the soul, that 
which renders it living ; and void of this, it cannot 
be in a gospel sense, a living soul. It may endure 
to eternity, but mere duration is not this Divine life. 
To exist without this life, is to be scripturally dead ; 
it is therefore requisite for the soul to wait for, feel 
after, and find this immortal life, and also to keep 
to it with all diligence, that it may experience the 
daily issues thereof to its comfort and preservation ; 
and to be as '' a well of water springing up into ever- 
lasting life."t 

I understand the propitiatory sacrifice of our Sa- 
viour, by which he opens the door of reconciliation 
for us, to be the initiatory part of man's salvation, 
and the internal work of regeneration by his spirit, 
to be its actual completion ; for thereby an entrance is 
administered into the heavenly kingdom. 

No man can have the influence of the inspired 
sentiments of the book of God, without receiving 
those inspired sentiments, which I have suflSiciently 
shown, no man hath who reads without the inspi- 
ring power. Every reader hath only his own con- 
ceptions about the sentiments inspired of God, and 
not those real sentiments, without a degree of in- 
spiration from him ; which the manifest mistakes 

^ John xiv. 6. f John iv. 14. 



160 THE ORIGINAL AND 

and contradictions of many demonstrate they are 
strangers to. 

2. The people called Quakers give such prefer- 
ence to the Scriptures above all other writings, that 
they strictly press the frequent reading of them, and 
call for answers at every quarterly-meeting through- 
out the Society, and at the general yearly-meetings, 
from every particular quarterly-meeting, whether 
the holy Scriptures are constantly read in their 
families, or not ; which they neither do, nor ever 
did, respecting any of their own writings, or any 
others. 

They recommend silence and stillness in their 
religious assemblies ; and as our manner of wor- 
ship is misunderstood by many, and often treated 
with ridicule, I shall take this opportunity to offer 
some explanation of it. 

We look upon Divine worship to be the most so- 
lemn act the mind of man is capable of being 
engaged in ; and in consideration of the high and 
inconceivable majesty of Almighty God, think it 
our duty to approach him with the greatest reve- 
rence. Every thinking person, who is in any degree 
sensible of the love and fear of God, must esteem it 
an awful thing, to present himself to the especial 
notice of the infinite omnipresent eternal Being. 
Under a sense of this, the wise man adviseth, 
" Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of 
God'' or enters upon worship, '' and be more ready 
to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools ; for thej 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 161 

consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with 
thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter 
any thing before God ; for God is in heaven, and thou 
upon earth, therefore let thy words be few."* He well 
knew, as he expresses, that both ''the preparation of 
the heart, and the answer of the tongue is from the 
Lord."f This accords with what our Saviour saith, 
'' Without me ye can do nothing. "J We, therefore, 
cannot perform Divine worship acceptably but by his 
assistance. This must be received in spirit ; for, saith 
the apostle, " The spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for 
we know not what we should pray for as w^e ought. "§ 
This being as certainly our case, as it was that of the 
apostles and primitive believers, it is incumbent on us 
to wait for that spirit which is requisite to help our in- 
firmities, in order to pray as we ought. No forms 
of devotion of men's invention can supply the 
place of the spirit. The same apostle further 
saith, " Through him we both have access, by one 
spirit unto the Father. "|| Seeing therefore, that 
both our help and access is through the spirit of 
Christ, the renewal of which is at his pleasure, and 
not ours, we must necessarily wait for it. This 
waiting must be in stillness of mind from the com- 
mon course of our thoughts, from all wandering 
imaginations, and also in silence from the expression 
of words ; for the utterance of words is not waiting, 
but acting. 

* Eccles. V. 1. t Pr<^>v. xvi. 1. J John xv. 5. 

I Rom. viii. 26. || Eph. ii. 18. 
14* 



162 THE OKIGINAL AND 

Words are requisite to convey the sense of one 
person to another, but not to that omniscient Being 
who is an universal spirit, and every where Al- 
mighty ; who therefore stands not in need, either of 
the use of corporeal organs, instruments, or the 
sound of words, to communicate with the spirit of 
man. 

If, in order to worship, the mind do not settle 
into stillness, the passions will be at work, and may 
agitate it into enthusiastic heats, and vague imagi- 
nations. But in true stillness, and singleness of soul 
towards God, they are silenced and subjected. The 
still small voice of the inspirer of all good then 
comes to be heard, and the mind being closely en- 
gaged in attention thereunto, and answering it in 
faith and humble submission, feels Divine life and 
love spring up, and receives ability therein, truly to 
worship the great author of its existence, and hea- 
venly supplier of its wants, with a devotion no forms 
can reach. 

This worship is not entered upon by totally lay- 
ing aside our faculties, and falling into a senseless 
stupor, as superficial observers have imagined; but 
by a real introversion of mind, and an attention fix- 
ed singly upon the alone object of all adoration, in 
patient yet fervent desire after him. Thus, accord- 
ing to the Hebrew, the experienced psalmist advises, 
" Be silent to the Lord, and wait patientlj^ f v him ;''* 
and respecting his own practice, he saith, " Truly 

* Psal. xxxvii. 7. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 1^3 

my soul is silent upon God," adding this cogent 
reason, '^from him cometh my salvation."* Verse 
5, he applies the exhortation to himself, " My soul, 
wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is 
from him." Great encouragement he had thus to 
wait, as appears, Psalm xl. where he saith, " I wait- 
ed patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, 
and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of 
an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my 
feet upon a rock, and established my goings ; and 
he hath put a new song into my mouth, even praise 
unto our God." This was no new song in itself, but 
being sensibly renewed to him in his acceptable wait- 
ing, he, with sufficient propriety, styles it so. 

To the same practical and profitable doctrine 
Jeremiah bears testimony. " It is good that a man 
should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation," 
or saving help, " of the Lord. It is good for a man 
that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth 
alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it 
upon him."f 

Silent waiting was in practice among the pro- 
phets, and those that attended them, as appears in 
the prophecy of Ezekiel. We find the spirit of the 
prophet was engaged in Divine vision, whilst the 
elders of Judah sate before him, as it is described 
from the 1st verse of the viiith chapter, to the 4th 
of the xith chapter. During the time of which 
vision, it cannot be consistently supposed, that he 

* PsaL Ixii. 1. t Lam. iii. 26, 27, 28. 



164 THE ORIGINAL AND 

was either speaking to them, or they to him, or to 
each other. This was not a singular instance of 
their meeting together; for it was the manner of 
God's people to congregate with the prophets, as 
that close reprehension plainly indicates. " They 
come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit be- 
fore thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but 
they will not do them."* 

In this solemn practice, we have often been 
enabled thankfully to ackowledge the verity of that 
gracious declaration of our Lord, ''Where two or 
three are gathered together, in my name, there am 
I in the midst of them;"f the fulfilling of that pro- 
mise, " They that wait upon the Lord shall renew 
their strength ;"J the certainty of that assertion, 
" The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to 
the soul that seeketh him ;"§ and the necessity and 
authority of that just command,'' Be still, and know 
that I am God."|| 

As silent waiting appears to us, in the first place, 
requisite to the worship of God in spirit and truth, it 
is always our practice, for we believe he ought to 
have the direction of our hearts therein ; and if he 
please to influence any one, under due preparation, 
vocally to appear, either by way of address to him- 
self in prayer, or to us in preaching, we never pre- 
clude such appearances, but silently assist according 
to our measures. If it prove that none are so con- 

^ Ezek. xxxiii. 31 j- Mat. xviii. 20. J Isa. xl. 31. 

J Lam. iii. 25. || Psal. xlvi. 10. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 165 

cerned to speak, we sit the time through in silence, 
wherein true mental worship is often experienced ; 
but never appoint any meeting, wdth intent, that it 
shall be held throughout in silence, as some have 
mistakenly imagined ; for we believe that all ought 
to be led and guided by the good spirit of God, more 
especially in the solemn acts of Divine worship. It 
would be a happy thing, were all so led, amongst us 
as well as others ; but the case appears otherwise with 
too many, who sit unconcerned, in expectation of 
hearing the ministry, instead of w^aiting upon Grod, 
and therefore often meet with disappointment. The 
apostle said in his age, " they are not all Israel, 
which are of Israel."* So we must acknowledge, all 
who have descended from faithful ancestors, are not 
themselves faithful ; but the defect is in themselves, 
and not in the principle. 

3. We profess, that the spirit of truth ought to 
be our, and every man's leader ; and that this spirit 
is an infallible principle, and that so far as any 
faithfully follow it, they are infallibly led, and no 
further ; but we never did, nor do profess that all 
in society with us are so led, or even suflSciently 
seek to be so. Nor was it the case amongst the 
primitive Christians themselves. We well know, 
and freely own, that we have all sinned, and come 
short of the glory of God, and that without repent- 
ance and regeneration, we must for ever fall short 
of it. We are also sensible, that upon due con- 
* Horn. ix. 6. 



Ihd THE ORIGINAL AND 

fe-^ion, submission, and sincere obedience to the mani- 
fesCctions of Christ, the light of men, " he is faithful 
and jitst to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from 
all unrighteousness;"* and if we ''walk in the light, 
as he ii^ in the light, we have fellowship one with an- 
other, axid the blood ^f Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth 
us from all sin/'f 

With regard to the Scriptures, I have declared 
our sense concerning them ; and shall only add, 
that we hold them to be the best written standard 
of belief and practice that we know of in the world. 
We venerate them for the eake of the great Author 
they came from, and seek to him for the right un- 
derstanding and proper use of them ; believing him 
who alone can open the tr?ie sense of them, and 
accompany it with power to enable us eflfectually 
to put it in practice, to be the primary guide, and 
therefore ought always to have our principal atten- 
tion; ever esteeming ourselves in duty bound, in 
the first place, to look unto Jesus, the author and 
finisher of our faith. J As "the life is more than 
meat, and the body than raiment,"§ so is the im- 
mediate influence of the spirit of Christ more than 
the Scriptures, or than any man's, or people's pri- 
vate or partial interpretation of them ; from whence 
have arisen all the diflerences that subsist about 
them, and which must ever remain to be the case, 
till the holy spirit itself is applied and attended to, 
as the right interpreter, and supreme standard of 
* 1 John i. 9. t Verse 7. X Heb. xii. 2. | Luke xii. 23. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 167 

faith and practice. This is the original essential 
primary guide ; and that revelation which comes im- 
mediately from the spirit of God into a man's heart, 
is certainly the primary one ; and that which he re- 
ceives through instrumental means, is as certainly but 
a secondary one. 

4. Barclay distinguishes revelation into objective, 
and subjective, and sometimes he speaks of the one, 
and sometimes of the other. In order to show the 
propriety of this distinction, let me observe, that 
the soul of man hath not only a faculty of cogitation, 
by which it ordinarily thinks, unites, divides, com- 
pares, or forms ideas, but also a latent power of 
internal sensation, or of perceiving spiritual objects 
by an inward and spiritual sense, w^hen presented 
through a proper medium ; w^iich, till the beams 
of Divine light shine upon it, it must be as totally 
unacquainted with, as the child in its mother's 
womb is wdth its faculties of sight and hearing. 
For though in that situation, it may be completely 
formed, and possess every organ proper to corpo- 
real sensation, yet it is not empowered to exercise 
them, or really to know it hath them, till it be 
brought forth into the medium necessary to the 
use of them, composed of the light and air of this 
world. Then it first finds the peculiar sense, and 
exercise of those natural powers, which, before its 
birth, it could not have the least understanding, or 
proper use of. In like manner, the natural man 
must be delivered out of his natural darkness, inta 



168 THE ORIGIKAL AND 

the luminous and quickening influence of that Divine 
word, or spirit, which is most emphatically styled the 
true light and life of men. Thus born of the spirit, 
into this proper medium of Divine knowledge, the 
soul is made acquainted with that spiritual sense it 
could neither discover, nor believe pertained to it, 
whilst in its natural state. This is no new natural 
faculty added, but its own mental power newly open- 
ed, and brought into its due place and use. 

Words are inadequate to the expression of this 
internal sense felt in the soul under Divine influence. 
It cannot be ideally conveyed to the understanding 
of the inexperienced; for it is not an image, but a 
sensation, impossible to be conceived but by its own 
impression. So true is that of the apostle, ''Eye 
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered 
into the heart of man, the things which God hath 
prepared for them that love him ; but God hath re- 
vealed them unto us by his spirit."* It was upon 
this consideration that I said. Divine light is the 
subject of inward sensation, '' and is not to be com- 
municated from one to another by reasoning, or 
verbal description." For should any person give 
the most clear and lively description possible of the 
light of the sun, to a man blind from his birth, it 
would only be communicating an ideal notion of the 
light, but not the light itself. It might be called a 
subjective revelation concerning the light to him, 
but not an objective one of the light itself. This 

* 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 169 

no man can have but by his own immediate sensa- 
tion. 

Divine revelation is a disclosure of something to 
the rational mind by the Holy Ghost, not in the 
mind's own power to discover. This the holy spirit 
doth, either by unveiling of itself by its influence in 
some degree to the soul, and giving it an internal 
sense of its presence ; or by favouring it with the 
vision of other objects, real or representative, 
through the communication of Divine light and power ; 
or by giving the soul a clear sense of its own state and 
condition. All this being a discovery of objects, is 
called objective revelation. 

Subjective revelation is a disclosure of subjects. 
or things relative, through the inspiration of the 
holy spirit ; by which the mind is opened into the 
knowledge of the Divine will concerning persons or 
things, led into the true sense of Scriptures, or into 
a deeper understanding of doctrines than it could 
ever reach without Divine illumination. Of this kind 
was the original revelation of the Scriptures to those 
who penned them. 

All this, both objective and subjective, is truly 
internal immediate revelation. What is now mo- 
dishly treated as the only revelation still existing, 
and to exist, is rather the fruit of revelation than 
the thing itself; a Scriptural record of things re- 
vealed, for they certainly were so to those to 
whom they were immediately disclosed ; but the 
different senses put upon the many disputed parts 
15 



170 THE ORIGINAL AND 

of them, for many generations past, demonstrate 
those parts are not truly a revelation to those who 
mistake them ; nor can they ever become such to 
them, till they know the holy author to be their 
interpreter. For, " No prophecy of Scripture is of 
any private interpretation. For the prophecy came 
not in old time," or rather, at any time, "by the 
will of man, but holy men of God spake as they 
were moved by the Holy Ghost."* 



CHAPTER XIV. 

1. Impious idolaters, &c, not in Christ; but he appears in them as a 
swift witness. To whom he communicates saving knowledge. 2. The 
gcspel comes not in word only, but in power, and Christ not only came 
outwardly, but also appears inwardly ; and by the powerful operation 
of his spirit effects all our works in us. He is the real efficient of all 
good in man. 3. The gospel sensibly preached in every man. The 
office of the Spirit of Truth. 4. Concerning our terms of admission. 
6. A day, or time of visitation to man demonstrated. 

1. I BELIEVE that idolaters, and those guilty of 
immoralities, have all at times felt the reproving 
witness of God in their consciences, which gives 
them a convicting knowledge of him ; and if they 
continue to rebel against this light, they become so 
darkened towards it, that '^ they know not the ways 
thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof."! Not liking 
to retain God in their knowledge, after long for- 
bearance, he gives them over to a reprobate mind.J 

* 2 P^t. i. 20 21. t Job xxiv. 13. J Rom. i. 28. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 171 

Our principle teaches, that the grace of God that 
bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, first as 
a convicter, or convincer of sin. Thus it stands at 
the door of man's heart and knocks for entrance ; 
and if the heart opens to it, and abides in the ability 
it furnishes, sincerely desiring, and seeking to obey 
its motions, it will, by due degrees, increase that abil- 
ity therein, till it prove itself the power of God unto 
salvation to it. Then, and not till then, the mind is 
sensible of the saving knowledge of this Divine prin- 
ciple ; yet, before this, whilst the soul knew nothing 
more of it than merely its convictions, it could not be 
said to be totally ignorant of an internal immediate 
sense of that grace which is saving, both in its nature 
and intention, though it was not endued with the 
savino: knowledo-e of it. 

2. We have all along uniformly acknowledged, 
the gospel came in word as well as in power ; but 
not in word only, but also in power, even in the 
power of the Holy Ghost.* And we are sensi- 
ble that this Divine power, from whence the 
words sprang, is the very essence of the gospel, and 
the words but the outward expression, or exterior 
declaration by which it is preached and recom- 
mended. To this essential internal grace, power 
and spirit of God, the apostles called and pressed 
their hearers, as well as to the belief of the outward 
advent and process of the Messiah then past. They 

^ 1 Thes. i. 5. 



172 THE ORIGINAL AND 

taught them, that ^^ Christ was once offered to bear 
the sins of many, and unto them that look for him 
shall he appear the second time, without sin unto 
salvation."* This second appearance of Christ, we 
do not understand to intend his coming to judgment 
at the great day of general decision ; for then he will 
come to determine the final state both of the right- 
eous and unrighteous ; not to salvation only, but to 
condemnation also. But this second appearance is 
in order to the salvation of those who look for him to 
that end. Accordingly, the apostle thus prays for 
the believers ; " The Lord direct your hearts into 
the love of God, and into the patient waiting for 
Christ ;'*t and he describes the Corinthians as "wait- 
ing for the coming,'* or renewed appearance, "of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. ''| 

Notwithstanding our Saviour empowers and em- 
ploys his messengers to declare his will, and to call 
people to the work of repentance and regeneration ; 
yet he constitutes them not as deputies to do the 
work for him. It is not the words they deliver, nor 
any application man, by his own powers, can make 
of them, which can perform this great business. 
"Lord,'* saith the prophet, "thou wilt ordain peace 
for us ; for thou also hast wrought all our works in 
us."§ The spirit of the High and Holy One is the 
true eflScient of all the real good that is done, all the 
virtue that is wrought, either in the church in gen- 

* Heb. ix. 28. f2 Thes. iii. 5. 

I Cor, i, 7, i Isa. xxvi. 12. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 173 

eral, or any of its members. It is the spirit that (a) 
giveth understanding, and unveils the knowledge 
of the things of God ; (6) quickeneth and maketh 
alive, (c) mortifies, (d) circumcises, (e) baptizes, 
{/) sanctifies, (^) regenerates, (A) sets free, 

a *' I said, days should speak, and multitude of years should 
teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration 
of the Almighty giveth them understanding." Job xxxii. 7, 8, 
** Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into 
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them 
that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his 
spirit; for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things 
of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the 
spirit of man which is in him ? Even so, the things of God 
knoweth no man, but the spirit of God.^' 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10, 11. 

b '* It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.^' 
John vi. 63. " The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.'^ 2 
Cor. iii. 6. " If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the 
dead, dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall 
also quicken your mortal bodies, by his spirit that dwelleth in 
you." Bom. viii. 11. 

c ** If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the 
spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live." Rom. viii. 13. 

d " Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, and not in 
the letter." Rom. ii. 29. 

e " By one spirit are we all baptized into one body." 1 Cor. 
xii. 13. 

y*'* But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justi- 
fied in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our 
God." 1 Cor. vi. 11. 

g *' Except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot 
enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, 
is flesh : and that which is born of the spiri t, is spirit." John iii. 5, G, 

h *' The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made 
me free from the law of sin and death." Rom. viii. 2. 

15* 



174 THE OEiaiNAL AND 

(i) strengthens, and enables to obedience. In the spirit is 
(k) the true light, (l) the life, (m) the love, (^n) the 
waiting, (o) the walking, (p) the fellowship and com- 
munion of the gospel; in the spirit (q) is true prayer 
made, (r) access to the throne of grace opened, and 
acceptable worship performed." The spirit is [s) the 

i " That he would grant you, according to the riches of his 
glory, to be strengthened with might, by his spirit, in the inner 
man." Eph. iii. 16. 

k " In him was life, and the life was the light of men." — 
*' That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh 
into the world.'^ John i. 4, 9. " God who commanded the light 
to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the 
light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus 
Christ." 2 Cor. iv. 6. 

I " The spirit giveth life." 2 Cor. iii. 6. 

m "Who also declared unto us your love in the spirit." Col. 
i. 8. 

n "We through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness, 
by faith." Gal. v. 5. 

"If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit.*' 
Gal. V. 25. 

p ''If any fellowship of the spirit." Phil. ii. 1, ** Have been 
all made to drink into one spirit." 1 Cor. xii. 13. 

q " The spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not 
what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit itself maketh 
intercession for us," &c. Rom. viii. 26. " Praying always with 
all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto 
with all perseverance." Eph. vi. 18. " Praying in the Holy 
Ghost," Jude 20. 

r " Through him we both have access by one spirit unto the 
Father." Eph. ii. 18. 

5 " Wo to the rebellious children — that cover with a covering, 
but not of my spirit." Isa. xxx. 1. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 175 

covering of God's people, (f) their guide, (u) their 
leader, (w) their comforter, [x) their seal, the infelt. 
earnest of an everlasting inheritance to them ; and, 
in sum, the all- effective power and virtue of the gos- 
pel ministration ; all which the Scriptures here cited 
undeniably evidence. 

3. In all these respects the holy spirit operated 
in common amongst the primitive believers. For 
the continuation of the same spiritual operations it 
is that we plead, and not that of miraculous gifts ; 
which were always extraordinary, and afforded but 
to few in comparison of the whole number of the 
primitives. 

V>'hen any man does right, conscience approves, 
and w^hen he does wrong it condemns him. This is 
generally called conscience, because it is something 
of God appearing in the mind, and giving it a con- 
scious sense of right and wrong respecting its own 

t *' When he the spirit of truth is come, he will guide jou 
into all truth/' John xvi. 13. 

w " If ye be led of the spirit ye are not under the law/' 
Gal. V. 18. *' As many as are led by the spirit of God, they are 
the sons of God.'' Rom. viii. 14. 

w '"l will pray the Father, and he shall give you another 
comforter, that he may abide with you fur ever ; even the spirit 
of truth." John xiv. IG, 17. 

X " God who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the 
spirit in our hearts." 2 Cor. i, 22. " In whom also, after that 
ye beli^^ved, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise.'' 
Eph. i. 13. "Grieve not the holy spirit of God, whereby ye are 
sealed unto the day of redemption." Ibid. iv. 30 



176 THE ORIGINAL AND 

acts. No man could kno^ it makes these just dis- 
tinctions without a sense of them. What is inward 
conviction for evil but a sense of guilt ? And, what 
is the genuine effect of guilt, but remorse? What 
does remorse lead to, but repentance ? And what 
is repentance, but the doctrine of the gospel ? Every 
rational creature under heaven, therefore, having this 
sensation, hath the gospel preached in him or her by 
this righteous principle, agreeable to Col. i. 23. But 
we always understand the natural conscience, and the 
light of God's spirit appearing in the conscience, as 
different principles. 

Our Lord showed his disciples that the Spirit of 
Truth, the comforter, should not only bring to their 
remembrance what he had told them, show them 
things to come, and lead them into all truth; but it 
should likewise reprove the world of sin, of righteous- 
ness, and of judgment.* Whether this Divine visiter 
appears to the mind of man, in woids, or without 
words, by the sensations of compunction and remorse ; 
whether in the sharpness of reproof, or the healing 
touches of consolation ; whether it manifests itself 
as light, or sheds its life and love into the heart ; 
whether it darts upon it as lightning, or settles it in a 
holy serenity ; fills it with faith, or inflames it with 
zeal : in all these ways, seeing it proceeds not by 
messenger, but by its own immediate communication 
to the rational soul of man, it is properly styled in* 
ternal immediate revelation. 

* John XV. and xvi. 



PRESENT STATE OFMAN. 177 

This Divine principle is a living source of truth 
and virtue in man, without which, exterior laws and 
precepts would little avail ; and when, through faith- 
fulness thereunto, it is enlarged and advanced over 
all in the soul, it is found to be a sure foundation, 
which neither the wisdom of the wise, the reasonings 
of the confident, the jugglings of the crafty, the de- 
rision of the reviler, the rage of the persecutor, nor 
even the gates of hell can prevail against. 

4. Our terms for the admission of members, are, 
a free and unforced conscientious acquiescence 
upon principle, with the essential doctrines of truth 
and real Christianity, and the rules of the society 
founded thereon, and not upon mere external ap- 
pearances. The Divine principle itself is our bond 
of union, and the holy Scriptures are our articles. 
Christ once in the flesh, and always in spirit, ard 
fundamentals with us. We require no subscription to 
articles of human invention. 

As to diiferences in opinion amongst us; whilst 
professors of the same faith difier in years and ex- 
perience, in capacity and opportunity, in education 
and associates, in faithfulness or unfaithfulness to 
their principles, there must be different opinions and 
practices. When the believers in the primitive age 
of Christianity grew numerous, it was the case amongst 
them, and in all societies ever since. What we assert 
is, that the one holy spirit leads all that faithfully 
follow it into sameness of doctrine, and unity of love ; 
and that all who profess to be followers of Christ, 
ought to be led by his spirit ; but that all, either of 



178 THE ORIGINAL AND 

our own societj, or any other, are so led, we are far 
from asserting or believing. 

5. Men ought carefully to embrace the dny of 
their visitation, and follow the advice of our Saviour, 
who saith, "While ye have light, believe in the 
light, that ye may be the children of light."* This 
is the only way to escape the dreadful consequences 
of continuing in rebellion against it. And, is it not 
a comfort to all men, that they are allowed this 
opportunity ? 

That there is such a time and opportunity, and 
that it may be lost to apostatisers past redemption, 
is evident from that aAvful passage, Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6, 
" It is impossible for those who were once enlight- 
ened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were 
made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted 
of the good word of God, and the powers of the 
world to come ; if they shall fall away, to renew 
them again unto repentance ; seeing they crucify to 
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an 
open shame.'' 

This passage evinces, 1st. That persons may be- 
come sensible partakers of the Holy Ghost, and 
taste of that Divine power which is the eternal life 
of the blessed in the world to come. 2d. That they 
may apostatise from this condition to such a degree, 
that repentance, and consequently salvation, shall 
become impossible to them. 3d. That they bring 
this upon themselves, because they crucify to them- 
selves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an 
* John xii. 36. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 179 

open shame ; they reject and rebel against the invi- 
tations of his spirit in themselves, till they occasion 
it to forsake them ; whereby the Divine witness is 
spiritually crucified and slain as to its life in them, 
and the Christian name openly reproached through 
their evil conduct and example. This is further 
illustrated by a simile in the two succeeding verses. 
'' For the earth which drinketh in the rain that 
cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet 
for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing 
from God. But that which beareth thorns and 
briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose 
end is to be burned."* The rain that cometh oft 
upon the earth, denotes that the Divine visitation is 
frequently renewed to the soul of man ; and the earth 
which drinketh it up, and bringeth forth herbs, the 
soul that affectionately receives, and faithfully retains 
it, so as to bring forth the fruits of the spirit, where- 
by it inherits the blessing of Grod's salvation. By 
the earth, which beareth thorns and briers, is pointed 
out the soul that so repeatedly continues to resist, 
and backslide from the Divine visiter, as to bring 
forth, and abide in, wicked works, which occasions 
him to reject and forsake it ; the consequence 
whereof must be its final condemnation and des- 
truction. 

This portion of Scripture thus demonstrates, both 
the certainty of a day of Divine visitation to the souls 
of men, and the possibility of its being discontinued, 
whilst they remain in the body. 

* Heb. vi. 7 and 8. 



180 THE ORIGINAL AND 



CHAPTER XV. 

I. The essential gospel. 2. Christ the light and life of men before hi* 
incarnation. These terms not to be confined to his corporeal appear- 
ance upon earth. 3. Nor to the Scriptures. What their proper use 
is. 4 and 5. Of Christ, the Word. 6. A material difference between 
light afforded in order to salvation, and a real embracing of it so as to 
be saved by it. Christ as truly the light of the souls of men, as the 
sun is to their bodies, whether they keep their eyes open to it, or shut 
them against it. 7. Christ as the Divine Word, the creating, uphold- 
ing, and saving power of God to mankind ; the elect, the gracious 
administrator of life and salvation, through his external sacrifice, and 
by the communication of his spirit. The true sense of unlearned writ- 
ers, not to be ascertained by the rules of grammar or criticism. 8. 
The kingdom of God is within, Luke xvii. The true Christian is the 
temple of Christ, wherein he manifests himself by his spirit. 9. What 
the kingdom of God is. 

1. Wif HOtJT ti-otibling myself with the unecessary 
pedantry of etymologies, I shall say, we allow the 
word gospel, in an extended sense, may include 
both the mystery and the history, the inward and 
outward process of our Saviour ; for the gospel 
comes not in word only, but also in power, and in 
the Holy Ghost.* We believe this power of the 
Holy Ghost to be the internal essential part, and the 
words the exterior, declarative, and occasional ex- 
pression of it. We admit the history, metonymi- 
cally to a share in the title, but not to engross it • 
lest the power, which is the life and reality of it, 
should be excluded, and people be deceived into a 

* 1 Thes. i. 5. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN, 181 

belief, that the gospel essentially consists of nothing 
but words. 

We are far from denying, that Paul, Peter or 
any other true minister or messenger of Christ, 
preached the gospel, when, by inspiration, they 
preached concerning the historical process of 
Christ ; but we cannot allow, that this compre- 
hends the whole of the gospel they preached. For 
we read in their writings, that the gospel is the 
power of God unto salvation, and that it shines as 
a light in the heart, to give the knowledge of the 
glory of Grod.* The doctrines of the gospel, are also 
called the gospel, and preaching of them, is termed 
preaching the gospel ; but it is evident, neither the 
history nor the doctrines, are the essential gospel in- 
tended in Gal. i. For, we find, after the apostle had 
said, ''If any man preach any other gospel unto you 
than that ye have received, let bim be accursed,"t he 
sbows what he meant by the gospel they had receiv- 
ed, in 11, 12, 15, and 16th verses : " I certify you 
brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me, 
is not after man. For, I neither received it of man, 
neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus 
Christ." — ''But when it pleased God, who separated 
me from my mother's womb, and called me by his 
grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach 
Him among the heathen, immediately I conferred not 
with flesh and blood." The gospel here intended, 
is plainly the immediate revelation of the Son of 

-^ 2 Cor. iv. 6. t Gal. i. 9. 

16 



182 THE ORIGINAL AND 

God within him, and neither an historical nor doc- 
trinal relation of things without him. It is against the 
oppugners of this internal essential gospel which is 
not of man, nor by man, but by the revelation of 
Jesus Christ within man, that the apostle twice pro- 
nounces, anathema. 

In demonstration of this gospel spirit and power,* 
Paul preached, that the faith of his hearers might 
be fixed in this power of God, and not in the pri- 
vate interpretations of men's wisdom. His fellow- 
labourers preached under the influence of the same 
Divine power, which pricked their hearers in their 
heart ;t and so must all that ever truly preach the 
gospel. The apostle declares, he would know not 
the speech of them that are pufl*ed up, but the power. 
For the kingdom of God is not in word but in 
power.J This everlasting power is the spirit of 
the gospel, wherein it mainly and most essentially 
consists ; as the essentiality of the man doth in the 
rational soul ; and the words and matters preached 
or written, are as the body, or present outside. 2 Tim. 
iii. The apostle describes what kinds of men those 
would be who, " having a form of godliness, 
would deny the power;'' and directs '' from such turn 
away." 

We read, 2 Cor. iv. 3, &c. : ''If our gospel be 
hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom 
the God of this world hath blinded the minds of 
them which believe not, lest the light of the glori- 

* 1 Cor. xii. t Acts ii. 4, 5, 37. % 1 Cor. iv. 19, 20. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 183 

ous gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, 
should shine unto them. For we preach not our- 
selves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves 
your servants for Jesus's sake. For God who 
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath 
shined in our hearts, to give the light of the know- 
ledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 
Here the apostle teaches, that the gospel they 
preached was Christ, showing his face, or manifesting 
himself as the image of God in their hearts ; and 
that it was only hid, or obscured in the minds of those, 
who through unbelief therein, or unfaithfulness there- 
to, were become blinded towards it by him who is 
called the God of this world, because he is obeyed 
by those who walk according to the course of this 
world.* 

2. The prophecy of the gospel-covenant declares 
'' I will put my law in their inw^ard parts, and write 
it in their hearts." — ''For they shall all know me 
from the least of them, to the greatest of them.^'f 
This could not intend the know^ledge of Christ in- 
carnate ; for that appearance was too exterior, and 
of too short duration. Nor could it mean the know- 
ledge of the Scriptures ; for a man may know them 
from beginning to end, believe them to be true, and 
frame his practice according to his apprehensions 
of the sense of them, and yet not know the Lord. 
The Jews had the law, the prophets, and the Scrip- 
tures extant in their time ; yet the Almighty by the 
* Eph. ii. 2. • t Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. 



184 THE ORIGINAL AND 

mouth of the same prophet, declares, '' My people 
are foolish, they have not known me."* Nor was it 
passible they should without Divine assistance ; 
therefore he saith, "I will give them a heart to 
know me."t And in Ezekiel, ^'A new heart also 
will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within 
you." — ^' I will put my spirit within you."J Thus 
the true knowledge of God is to be received, by the 
internal writing of the Divine word in the heart, 
which puts the law of light and life within man, and 
thereby light eth every man coming, or that cometh, 
into the world. 

8. To imagine the universal light and life of the 
immortal Word is at all meant of the Scriptures, 
is absurd. For it appears to have been at least 
two thousand four hundred years after the creation, 
before any part of the Scriptures were written ; 
and the several pieces that compose them, were 
occasionally written at divers times, and by diifer- 
ent penmen ; taking up about sixteen hundred and 
thirty years more, from the publication of the first 
of them by Moses, to the last by John the Divine ; 
considering also, that the abundantly greater part 
of mankind in these latter ages, since they have 
appeared in Christendom, have never yet had them ; 
and how many millions therein, have been wickedly 
debarred from the use of them in their own lan- 
guage, by an interested and designing priesthood ; 
it undeniably appears, that a vast majority of maii- 

^ Jer. iv. 22. f Jer. xxiv. 7. J Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 185 

kind never had tlie benefit of them. And, amongst 
those who are favoured with them, the variety, and 
even contrariety of opinions and practices which have 
all along subsisted, especially among the high pre- 
tenders to, and possessors of literature, all contribute 
to demonstrate, that though the sacred records, opened 
by the spiritual key of David, are profitable and ex- 
cellent above all other writings, yet a more adequate 
universal guide than themselves, ever hath been, and 
now is, absolutely necessary to the salvation of 
mankind. 

4. John i. 1. The evangelist shows first, what the 
Word, Christ, was in himself, and asserts he was 
God ; and next what he was in and to the world. 
First, he was the Creator of all things ; and second, 
the light of men ; and both these he was in the be- 
ginning,'^ or early part of time to this creation, four 
thousand years before his coming in the flesh. As 
he then began to be the light of men, he hath all 
along continued to be so. As he made the sun to 
be the light of our external world, whether people 
keep their eyes open, or shut them against its shin- 
ing ; so is he the true light of the spirit of men, 
whether they open to him, or not. This he is by 
the inward manifestation of his spirit in every man's 
conscience. " In him was life, and the life w^as the 
light of men."t ^^is was in the beginning, and 
hath been from the beginning. It is the one living 
eternal Word or energetic spirit, appearing in both 
* John i. i, 4. t Verse 4. 

16* 



186 THE ORIGINAL AND 

modes, when truly believed in and properly re- 
ceived. 

5. '' The light shineth in darkness, and the dark- 
ness comprehended it not.""^ " He was in the world^ 
and the world was made by him, and the world knew 
him not." I take the darkness to be the corrupt state 
of mankind, Gentiles as well as Jews. 

6. Those who did not receive him, could never 
be born of him ; for he that is born of him, is both 
enh'ghtened and quickened by his spirit. The Sa- 
viour, as the light of the world, dispenseth of his 
light to every man that corneth into the world, to 
give him a sight of his captive condition ; this sight 
producing that godly sorrow which worketh repent- 
ance,t salvation ensues. So, though the light of 
the Saviour ariseth upon all, in order that all may 
come to repentance and be saved, yet those who 
are so attached to their evil courses, that they love 
darkness rather than light, shut it out from them, and 
therefore do not come to the saving knowledge of him, 
who is the author of eternal salvation to all that obey 
him. J 

When we speak of the light's being of a saving 
nature, we do not intend, that salvation is effected 
merely by light abstractly considered, though it 
is the light of life. The eternal Word operates both 
as light and as life. It gives true discovery and 
discrimination, as light; and empowers to live and 
act suitably, as life. This light and life being the 
* John i. 5. t 2 Cor. vii. 10. J Heb. v. 9. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 187 

Tery nature of the Saviour, are properly said to be 
of a saving nature. Men may be so enlightened as 
to see the way of salvation, and yet refuse to walk 
in it; yea, they may be led into the way, yet not 
abide in it. Will their refusal or defection, alter 
the nature of the light, or prove it is not saving? 
Would any shutting out the light, be a proof that 
it would not shine upon me ; or of the contrary ? 
Food is not such to him who refuses to eat it ; but 
is it not food in its nature, because he refuses it ? 
And might it not be food to him if he would be wise 
enough to take it ? 

7. ''In the beginning was the Word."* This 
divine Word had no beginning. It was no part of 
the creation. All created things were made by 
him, and called from inexistence into being ; but the 
Word is without beginning or end of days. The 
Word inexpressible by words, and incomprehensi- 
ble by thoughts and imaginations. The orthos logos 
or right reason^ infinite in wisdom, goodness and 
power ; from the beginning issuing forth and acting 
in the work of creation and providence, and also 
from the time of the fall, in mediation and re^ene- 
ration. 

As man was the only part of this lower creation 
designed for immortality, the favours he then re- 
ceived were answerable to the high purpose of h\^ 
Maker in creating him. The creating and conserv. 
ing Word, immediately became his illuminator, and 

* John i. 1. 



188 THE ORIGINAL AND 

quickener. " All things were made by him, and 
without him was not any thing made that was made. 
In him was life, and the life was the light of men/'* 
After man's transgression and defection from 
this Divine light and life, this gracious Word aston- 
ishingly condescended to offer himself to repair the 
breach; by determining, in due time, to take the 
nature of man upon him, and to give it up to excru- 
ciating pains and the death of the cross, as a pro- 
pitiation for the sins of the whole world. Hereby 
he showeth the greatness of Divine love and mercy 
to poor helpless man, and also, by then immediate- 
ly renewing, and thenceforward continuing to af- 
ford a manifestation of his light to man in his fallen 
estate. For, before his incarnation, " He was in the 
world, and the world was made by him, and the 
world knew him not."f The generality, though 
they felt his inward convictions, the reproofs of in- 
struction, distinguished them not to be his, 
but might flatter themselves, they were only the 
effects of tradition early instilled into their minds ; 
and not having their habitation in the light, were 
become as darkness ; yet the light shined in their 
darkness, though their darkness comprehended 
it not. J They thought too meanly of this light, 
had no just conception of it, knew it not to be 
the visitation of the Son of Grod ; and though 
they were his own. Gentiles as well as Jews, by 
creation and intentional redemption, they received 

* John i. 3, 4. t Verse 10. J Verse 5. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 189 

him not. " But as many as received Mm, to them 
gave he power to become the sons of God/'* 

The evangelist having spoken of him as the univer- 
sal, illuminating, effective Word, verse 14, he comes 
to speak of his incarnation, saying, '' And the Word 
was made flesh, and dwelt among us." We are not 
here to understand, that the sovereign Word, or Spir- 
it, was transubstantiated into flesh ; but that for 
man's redemption, he took the nature of man upon 
him, and appeared amongst men, as a man, and 
undoubtedly in the eyes of most, seemed not more 
than man ; but saith his enlightend follower ; " and we 
beheld his glory," had a sense of his divinity, as well 
as a sight of his humanity, ''the glory as of the only 
begotten of the Father," the only one of his own es- 
sence and eternity, "full of grace and truth — and of 
his fulness have all we received, and grace for 
grace, t 

When persons read and presume to expound 
the Scriptures, with school and college-methods 
uppermost in their heads, it is no wonder they 
mistake them. The inspired writers observed no 
such rules, even those of them who might have a 
competent share of literature ; which most of them 
had not. Learned, or unlearned, the light and mo- 
tion of the holy spirit was their guide ; not the rules 
of rhetoric, logic, or grammar. Not school-learn- 
ing, but the light of the Holy Ghost gave them a 
right understanding, and the same is requisite to 

*Johni. 11 12 + Vprse 16 



190 THE ORIGINAL AND 

the right understanding of their writings. They 
spake not the wisdom of this world ;* therefore are 
not to be understood by its wisdom, yet nothing is 
more busy to explain them. They often treat of 
things promiscuously ; even as our Saviour himself 
spoke, intermixing the internal spiritual sense with 
the external, both respecting himself, and the matters 
he touched upon. This John doth in his first chapter, 
sometimes speaking of Christ as the Word, which 
respects his divinity, sometimes as man, or as in the 
flesh, and sometimes comprehending both senses in 
the same words. For want of a right understanding 
properly to distinguish them, men are apt to jumble, 
and mistake one for another. Hence arise disagree- 
ment, clashing, and jangling about the true sense of 
Scripture ; and trying it by the notions of systems 
they have espoused, instead of trying them by the 
truth, it is no wonder there is so much controversy. 
The only way to put an end to it, is for all to come to 
the spirit of truth in their own hearts, that they may 
be led into all truth ; which till they do, they never 
can be. 

8. " The kingdom of God cometh not with ob- 
servation, neither shall they say, lo here or lo there ; 
for behold the kingdom of God is within you.'* 
Christ appears by his spirit in the minds of all, 
either as a comforter, a purifier, or a convicter and 
reprover, in order that they might believe in, and 
obey him under this appearance, through which 

* 1 Cor. ii. 6. 



PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 191 

they would find him to become the hope of glory in 
them. 

In matters of such high concern as relate to our 
eternal state, it is incumbent upon all, to be more 
cautious than confident about the exclusion of their 
fellow-creatures from the grace and salvation of 
God ; lest by asserting the non-existence of that ex- 
perience in others themselves have not yet known, 
they become of those to whom our Saviour de- 
clares, " Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against 
men ; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer 
ye them that are entering, to go in."* 

9. If any ask, what is the kingdom of heaven, or 
of God ? I answer ; notwithstanding he is the Al- 
mighty Sovereign of the universe, yet that is more 
peculiarly styled his kingdom, wherein he so com- 
pletely governs as to be always cheerfully and per- 
fectly obeyed ; where he is the sole mover of all 
that is done, where he is glorified in all that is done, 
and where he communicates of his glory and feli- 
city without mixture. This kingdom can neither 
be entered nor at all seen into by man, but through 
the new-birth of the holy spirit, whereby the soul 
experienceth a being born into it ; a being delivered 
from the power of darkness, and translated into the 
kingdom of the dear Son of God.f Hereby alone 
the spirit of man enters it ; and through faithfulness, 
is enabled to make advances therein whilst iu the 
body. This kingdom stands not in locality, not in 

* Mat. xxiii. 13. f Jobn iii. Col. i. 13 



192 ORIGINAL AND PRESENT STATE OF MAN. 

any here or there; therefore it is in vain to direct 
to it by lo here or lo there. It stands in an infinite 
and heavenly spirit, life, and nature, wherein 
nothing impure can live or enter. It is the internal 
dominion, or ruling power of the Holy Ghost in 
men and angels ; that pure influence so beautifully 
and sublimely described in Wisdom vii., flowing 
from the glory of the Almighty, which in all ages 
entering into holy souls, maketh them friends of 
God and the prophets. In fine, this kingdom of God is 
the dominion of the light and life of the spirit of 
God. Whoever lives under the sensible influence 
and government of it, lives in this kingdom. This 
is the kingdom of the saints militant on earth, and 
of the saints triumphant in heaven; it being experi- 
enced by the sanctified in Christ Jesus, in part 
whilst in this world, and enjoyed in its fulness in the 
world to come. 

I shall now close, sincerely wishing that all men 
may come really to know the only true God, and 
Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, that they may ex- 
perience life eternal. 



THE END. 



-^tnv 



